Marandi: Jharkhand Govt ‘Creating Crimes’ to Hide Coal Mafia Links

Babulal Marandi, the leader of the opposition in Jharkhand, has accused the state government of actively fabricating new criminal cases as a smokescreen for existing widespread corruption, particularly involving the coal mafia. He asserted that the government and its associated systems have developed a habit of manufacturing offenses to conceal the true extent of criminal activities. Recent ED investigations into the extensive coal trade network in Dhanbad have brought to light disturbing details. A particularly dangerous development involves allegations that top police officers, enriched by the black money generated from illegal coal operations, have instructed coal mafiosi to ‘permanently neutralize’ their lower-level associates. This alleged directive aims to silence witnesses and obstruct the ED’s pursuit of truth. Marandi revealed that intelligence suggests assassination plots are being formulated against individuals currently under ED questioning. He recalled similar tactics used in Jharkhand’s past, where ‘encounter’ killings were allegedly staged to eliminate evidence, referencing a controversial former DGP widely accused of contract killings and unprecedented corruption. The opposition leader stressed the need for the ED to remain highly vigilant, noting that in Jharkhand, power often protects those who bury the truth. He concluded that when political power, administrative systems, and organized crime converge, the suppression of justice becomes an almost inevitable outcome.