Babulal Marandi, the State President of the BJP and Leader of Opposition in Jharkhand, has accused the ruling government of manufacturing new crimes to mask the severity of existing criminal networks. He contends that this practice has become a routine for the government and the established systems. Investigations by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) into the pervasive coal mafia in Dhanbad have exposed disturbing truths. Marandi highlighted a particularly dangerous development: certain high-ranking police officers, allegedly enriched by the coal trade’s illegal profits, have allegedly commissioned the elimination of their own ground operatives. The purported goal is to silence individuals who could testify against the mafia. Disturbing intelligence suggests that those currently being questioned by the ED are being targeted for murder to prevent any revelations. This strategy of ‘evidence elimination’ through staged encounters is not unprecedented in Jharkhand. The state has a history with a DGP accused of accepting contract killings and presiding over rampant corruption, with even allies of the ruling party acknowledging his transgressions. Marandi urged the ED to proceed with utmost vigilance, noting that truth-tellers face peril while those who conceal it thrive. The fusion of political power, systemic corruption, and organized crime leaves little room for genuine justice.
