Allegations are surfacing that the Jharkhand state government is actively fabricating new criminal incidents to obscure its involvement in or complicity with existing illegal activities. Babu Lal Marandi, the state BJP president and Leader of the Opposition, has voiced strong accusations that this practice of creating false crimes to hide the truth has become a modus operandi for the government and its supporting structures. Recent Enforcement Directorate (ED) raids within Dhanbad’s notorious coal underworld have exposed substantial evidence of a deep-rooted criminal network. What is particularly concerning, according to reports, is the alleged targeting of individuals by senior police officials who are reportedly benefiting from the black money generated by coal smuggling. These officials are said to have given ‘targets’ to eliminate key operatives, thereby silencing potential witnesses being questioned by the ED. Marandi highlighted that the state has a history of ‘evidence encounters,’ where purported criminals are killed to prevent them from revealing incriminating information. He referenced a past DGP notorious for alleged contract killings and unparalleled corruption, a figure even criticized by ruling party members. Marandi cautioned the ED to proceed with utmost caution, noting that the prevailing environment favors those who suppress facts over those who speak them. When state power, systemic elements, and criminal syndicates become intertwined, the administration of justice can be easily compromised.
