Jharkhand Govt Accused of Fabricating Crimes to Hide Coal Mafia Activity

Allegations have surfaced against the Jharkhand government, with BJP state president and Leader of Opposition Babulal Marandi accusing the administration of creating new offenses to conceal existing criminal enterprises. Marandi stated that the government and its systems have developed a habit of inventing fresh crimes to mask the real issues plaguing Jharkhand. Recent Enforcement Directorate (ED) actions in the coal sector of Dhanbad have uncovered significant evidence of illicit activities. Disturbingly, reports suggest that high-ranking police officials, allegedly benefiting from the black money generated by coal mafias, have provided targets to eliminate key ground-level operatives of these mafias. The objective appears to be silencing witnesses and preventing the truth from emerging. This alleged plot involves planning the murder of individuals currently being questioned by the ED, thereby stifling any revelations. Marandi drew parallels to past incidents in the state where ‘encounter killings’ were allegedly staged to destroy evidence. He recalled a former Director General of Police (DGP) in Jharkhand who faced accusations of orchestrating contract killings and of being the most corrupt official of his kind in the state, with even ruling party members voicing these concerns. The situation demands extreme caution from the ED, as Marandi warned that in Jharkhand, those who suppress the truth, rather than those who speak it, hold power. When political power, administrative systems, and criminal elements align, the pursuit of justice becomes a mere formality.