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 extent of actual criminal activity. He asserted that inventing offenses to conceal existing ones has become a modus operandi for the government and the state’s administrative machinery. Recent Enforcement Directorate (ED) investigations into Dhanbad’s extensive coal mafia operations have brought to light disturbing facts. The most critical revelation is the alleged directive from senior police officials, reportedly enriched by illicit coal revenues, to their ground operatives within the mafia. The objective: to permanently silence key individuals being questioned by the ED, thereby obstructing the investigation. Marandi suggested that a conspiracy is brewing to eliminate individuals being interrogated by the ED to prevent the truth from surfacing. He recalled past instances in Jharkhand where evidence was ‘encountered’ to protect criminals. The state has a history of a DGP facing accusations of contract killings and unprecedented corruption, acknowledged even by members of the ruling coalition. Marandi cautioned the ED to remain vigilant, noting that in Jharkhand, suppressing the truth is often more advantageous than revealing it. He concluded that when the government, the system, and criminal networks converge, the subversion of justice is merely a matter of time.
