A political storm is brewing in Jharkhand as opposition leader Babulal Marandi accuses the state government of a disturbing tactic: fabricating new crimes to conceal deep-rooted corruption, particularly within the coal sector. Marandi contends that the government and its network are deliberately creating new offenses to divert attention and shield themselves. Recent ED investigations into Dhanbad’s illicit coal empire have exposed shocking details. The most alarming aspect, according to Marandi, involves senior police officials allegedly benefiting from the coal trade and issuing directives to eliminate their own enforcers. This alleged conspiracy aims to prevent individuals under ED interrogation from divulging incriminating information. Marandi drew parallels to past instances in Jharkhand where ‘evidence encounters’ were allegedly staged to silence witnesses. He referenced the controversial tenure of a former DGP accused of contract killings and unmatched corruption, even by members of the ruling coalition. This situation, Marandi warns, demands extreme caution from the ED. He emphasized that in Jharkhand’s current climate, suppressing truth is rewarded, while exposing it leads to peril. When the pillars of power and the machinery of justice become intertwined with criminal syndicates, the demise of fair legal processes is tragically inevitable.
