Babulal Marandi, the BJP State President and Leader of Opposition, has accused the Jharkhand government of a deeply concerning strategy: fabricating new crimes to cover up existing ones. He asserts that this tactic has become standard operating procedure for the government and the associated systems in the state. The recent Enforcement Directorate (ED) investigations into the rampant coal trade in Dhanbad have brought many shocking details to light. Most disturbingly, reports suggest that some ‘senior police officers,’ benefiting from the black money generated by the coal mafia, have instructed their ground-level enforcers to ‘permanently eliminate’ specific individuals. This targeted elimination is reportedly aimed at those currently being interrogated by the ED, ensuring that crucial truths remain buried. Marandi highlighted that the state has a history of ‘evidence encounters,’ where criminals were eliminated to prevent them from testifying. He pointed to a past DGP who faced allegations of accepting ‘supari’ (contract killing fees) and orchestrating encounters, branding him as the most corrupt officer in Jharkhand’s history, with even ruling party members voicing these accusations. He advised the ED to be highly vigilant, as the prevailing environment favors those who suppress facts over those who reveal them. When power, systemic structures, and criminal elements align, the subversion of justice is tragically swift and simple.
