Babulal Marandi, the leader of the opposition in Jharkhand and state BJP president, has accused the ruling government of manufacturing new criminal incidents to mask the real law and order situation and ongoing corruption. According to Marandi, this practice of creating fabricated crimes has become a modus operandi for the government and the administrative apparatus. Recent Enforcement Directorate (ED) raids targeting the powerful coal mafia in Dhanbad have reportedly unearthed significant incriminating evidence. However, a disturbing revelation is the alleged instruction from certain influential police officials, who are purportedly profiting from the illegal coal trade, to ‘permanently eliminate’ their ground-level associates. This, Marandi believes, is a direct attempt to prevent these individuals from testifying or providing crucial information to the ED, thereby obstructing justice and burying the truth. He recalled a history in the state where ‘encounters with evidence’ occurred rather than encounters with criminals, referencing a former DGP who allegedly arranged contract killings and was widely regarded as the most corrupt police chief in Jharkhand, with accusations even coming from within the ruling coalition. Marandi urged the ED to proceed with extreme caution, highlighting that truth-tellers often face peril while those who suppress facts wield influence. He concluded that when political power, the system, and organized crime converge, the perversion of justice is almost inevitable.







