The Jharkhand government faces a grave charge of manufacturing new criminal incidents to conceal existing illegal activities, according to state BJP President and Leader of Opposition, Babulal Marandi. He contends that this deliberate creation of ‘new crimes’ has become an ingrained habit for the administration and the broader system. The Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) recent probe into the coal mafia’s extensive operations in Dhanbad has reportedly uncovered compelling evidence. However, a particularly concerning aspect is the alleged directive from certain top police officials, said to be benefiting from illicit coal revenue, to ‘permanently silence’ their own operatives to prevent information from reaching investigators. There are credible reports that individuals currently being questioned by the ED are the subjects of assassination plots designed to obstruct the truth from emerging. Marandi recalled instances in Jharkhand’s history where ‘evidence elimination encounters’ were allegedly staged to prevent accountability. He cited the example of a former Director General of Police who was accused of taking bribes for staged encounters and of setting new records for corruption, a claim even supported by members of the ruling coalition. The opposition leader stressed the need for the ED to be exceptionally cautious, stating that in this state, power resides with those who suppress facts, not those who reveal them. He cautioned that when power structures, the system, and criminal enterprises become interconnected, the subversion of justice becomes an easily achievable outcome.
