Jharkhand’s opposition leader, Babulal Marandi, has publicly accused the state government of inventing new criminal acts to cover up existing offenses. He asserts that this practice has become a norm for the government and its associated systems. Investigations by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) into Dhanbad’s coal mafia have uncovered significant incriminating evidence. Alarmingly, it is reported that senior police officials, allegedly profiting from illegal coal operations, have issued ‘kill targets’ for their ground operatives against specific individuals within the mafia. The intention behind these targeted eliminations is to prevent witnesses and key players from speaking to investigators. Reports indicate that individuals being questioned by the ED are now targets for assassination, designed to prevent the exposure of the truth. Marandi recalled instances where ‘evidence encounters’ were used as a facade for eliminating witnesses, a tactic previously employed in the state. He referenced a former DGP who faced accusations of accepting bribes to orchestrate encounters, with allegations of widespread corruption even coming from within the ruling party. The opposition leader strongly advised the ED to proceed with utmost vigilance, emphasizing that in Jharkhand, power lies with those who suppress the truth, not reveal it. When the government, law enforcement, and criminal syndicates merge, the perversion of justice becomes inevitable.
