Allegations of a disturbing tactic by the Jharkhand government have emerged from Babulal Marandi, the state’s opposition leader. He claims the administration is resorting to creating entirely new criminal incidents as a means to hide ongoing illegal operations, especially concerning the powerful coal mafia. Marandi expressed deep concern, stating that fabricating crimes to cover up actual wrongdoings has become a modus operandi for the government and its supporting infrastructure in Jharkhand. The recent ED crackdown in the Dhanbad coal sector has exposed significant and troubling evidence. The situation is exacerbated by reports suggesting that some senior police officials, reportedly profiting from the illegal coal trade, have directed coal mafiosi to eliminate key witnesses permanently. These individuals are reportedly being targeted to prevent them from providing crucial information to the ED. Marandi warned that conspiracies are allegedly underway to murder those currently cooperating with the ED investigation, thereby ensuring that the truth never comes to light. He drew a stark parallel to past events in the state, where ‘encounter’ killings were allegedly used to dispose of evidence, referencing a notorious former DGP accused of orchestrating such killings and setting a new precedent for corruption. The opposition leader advised the ED to proceed with extreme caution, emphasizing that in Jharkhand’s power dynamics, truth-tellers are often silenced, while those who conceal it thrive. He warned that when ruling powers, systemic structures, and criminal syndicates become intertwined, the subversion of justice is merely a matter of time.
