Babulal Marandi, the Leader of Opposition in Jharkhand and BJP state president, has leveled severe allegations against the state government, accusing it of manufacturing new crimes to conceal the extent of ongoing criminal activities. Marandi asserted that the Jharkhand government and its systemic apparatus have resorted to creating fabricated offenses as a deliberate strategy. This controversy emerges after recent Enforcement Directorate (ED) actions in the Dhanbad coal region, which have reportedly unearthed significant evidence pertaining to illegal operations. A critical piece of information highlighted by Marandi indicates that a group of ‘top police officers,’ allegedly benefiting financially from the coal mafia’s illegal trade, have allegedly sanctioned the ‘permanent elimination’ of their associates who are cooperating with the ED. This alleged directive aims to prevent witnesses from providing crucial information. Intelligence suggests that individuals being questioned by the ED are now reportedly targets for assassination, aimed at stifling any emerging truths. Marandi recalled similar past incidents in Jharkhand where alleged ‘evidence suppression’ through ‘encounter killings’ was a known tactic. He cited the example of a former Director-General of Police (DGP) who faced numerous accusations of contract killings and unprecedented corruption, even from within the ruling party’s ranks. Marandi issued a stern warning to the ED, urging them to be exceptionally vigilant, noting that the prevailing environment favors those who bury the truth over those who reveal it. He emphasized that when political authority, the administrative machinery, and criminal elements converge, the manipulation and suppression of justice become an inevitable consequence.
