Opposition Leader Claims Jharkhand Govt Manipulating Crime Data

Babu Lal Marandi, leader of the opposition in Jharkhand and state BJP chief, has accused the ruling government of fabricating new criminal incidents as a tactic to hide the pervasive influence of the coal mafia. This alleged practice, Marandi asserts, has become a disturbing norm for the government and the state’s administrative system. Recent investigations by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) into Dhanbad’s coal trade have brought to light significant evidence of illegal operations. What is particularly alarming, according to Marandi, is the alleged instruction from top police officers, purportedly enriched by the coal mafia’s illegal profits, to ‘eliminate’ key individuals involved in the racket. These operatives, being questioned by the ED, are reportedly targets for assassination to prevent them from divulging vital information and exposing the full extent of the criminal network. Marandi reminisced about past events in Jharkhand where alleged criminals were eliminated under the guise of encounters, effectively destroying evidence. He pointed to a former Director General of Police who faced severe accusations, including contract killings and unprecedented corruption, even from within the ruling coalition. The opposition leader cautioned the ED to be highly vigilant, emphasizing that in such an environment, truth is suppressed, and falsehoods prevail. He warned that when political power, administrative machinery, and organized crime converge, the subversion of justice is almost inevitable.