A strong denunciation of the Jharkhand government’s alleged practices has come from Babulal Marandi, the BJP State President and Leader of Opposition. He claims the government is resorting to fabricating new criminal activities to hide its complicity and ongoing offenses. According to Marandi, this is now a habitual practice within the state’s administration and its systemic apparatus. Recent Enforcement Directorate (ED) raids in Dhanbad have shed light on a vast coal corruption network. A deeply troubling aspect of this operation is the alleged instruction from ‘influential police officers,’ who are beneficiaries of the illegal coal trade, to their subordinates. These subordinates are reportedly being tasked with the ‘permanent elimination’ of individuals being questioned by the ED, thereby eliminating any potential witnesses. This strategy aims to obstruct justice by preventing the truth from emerging. Marandi reminded observers of previous incidents in Jharkhand where ‘encounters’ were allegedly staged to dispose of evidence and criminals. He referenced a former DGP who was widely accused of facilitating contract killings and being the most corrupt official in the state’s history, facing condemnation even from ruling party figures. He urged the ED to be exceptionally vigilant, noting that in Jharkhand, suppressing truth is rewarded, not revealing it. When political power, law enforcement, and criminal enterprises unite, the suppression of justice becomes a mere procedural step.
