Allegations have surfaced that the Jharkhand government is actively involved in manufacturing new criminal incidents to divert attention from the deep-rooted criminal activities, particularly within the coal mafia. Babu Lal Marandi, the state president of the BJP and Leader of the Opposition, has strongly condemned this alleged practice, calling it a deliberate strategy by the government and system to obscure the truth. Recent Enforcement Directorate (ED) actions in Dhanbad’s lucrative coal trade have uncovered a disturbing network. The most alarming revelation is the alleged directive from high-ranking police officials, who are purportedly profiting from the ‘black money’ generated by coal smuggling, to have their own operatives within the mafia ‘permanently eliminated.’ This ruthless tactic is reportedly intended to silence witnesses and prevent them from cooperating with the ED’s ongoing probe. There are credible reports suggesting that individuals currently being questioned by the ED are being targeted for assassination to ensure that crucial evidence never surfaces. The state has a history of witnessing ‘encounter killings’ used to destroy evidence rather than apprehend criminals. The opposition recalled a former Director General of Police (DGP) who faced severe accusations of orchestrating contract killings and being the most corrupt DGP in Jharkhand’s history, with even ruling party figures acknowledging his unprecedented corruption. The ED must operate with extreme caution in this environment where truth is suppressed and those complicit in concealing it are protected. When power structures, law enforcement, and criminal elements become intertwined, the suppression of justice becomes almost inevitable.
