Marandi: Jharkhand Govt Creating New Crimes to Conceal Illicit Activities

Babulal Marandi, the state president of the BJP and Leader of the Opposition in Jharkhand, has accused the ruling government of fabricating new criminal incidents to mask the extent of ongoing illegal activities. Marandi stated that the practice of inventing crimes to cover up existing ones has become a deeply ingrained issue within the government and the state’s operational framework. The recent Enforcement Directorate (ED) crackdown on the entrenched coal mafia in Dhanbad has brought to light numerous startling pieces of evidence. The most concerning aspect, according to Marandi, is intelligence suggesting that certain ‘top police officials,’ whose affluence is allegedly tied to the illegal coal trade, have issued ‘targets’ to eliminate key ground-level associates of the coal mafia. This alleged directive appears aimed at silencing individuals who could provide crucial information to investigators. There are credible reports indicating that conspiracies are being planned for the murder of individuals currently being questioned by the ED, a clear attempt to obstruct the investigation and prevent the truth from emerging. Marandi invoked past incidents in Jharkhand where ‘evidence elimination’ was carried out through staged encounters with criminals. He pointed to a notorious former DGP against whom serious allegations were made, including involvement in contract killings and unparalleled corruption, with even ruling party figures reportedly criticizing his tenure. The Opposition leader emphasized the need for heightened vigilance from the ED, asserting that the prevailing system favors the suppression of truth over its revelation. When the levers of power, the administrative machinery, and criminal syndicates operate in unison, the perversion of justice becomes an almost inevitable outcome.