Allegations are surfacing that the Jharkhand government is actively creating new criminal narratives to divert attention from its failure to address rampant crime. Babulal Marandi, a prominent opposition leader and BJP state chief, declared that the state and its enforcement mechanisms are now resorting to fabricating incidents to cover up genuine criminal enterprises. The ED’s recent operations targeting the deep-rooted coal mafia in Dhanbad have exposed significant illicit dealings. A particularly dangerous aspect highlighted by Marandi is the alleged instruction from allegedly corrupt ‘top police brass,’ flush with black money from coal smuggling, to their ground operatives within the mafia. The objective: to ‘permanently remove’ certain individuals. This sinister plan, Marandi claims, is a direct attempt to silence those currently cooperating with the ED and prevent the truth from coming out. He warned that this tactic mirrors past instances where ‘evidence encounters’ were staged to mask deeper corruption. Marandi evoked the memory of a past DGP notorious for alleged contract killings and unparalleled corruption, a figure even criticized by ruling party members. He urged the ED to be exceptionally cautious, stating that in Jharkhand, silence and suppression are rewarded over truth. The convergence of state authority, systemic corruption, and organized crime, he warned, renders the pursuit of justice a hollow exercise.
