A serious allegation has been leveled against the Jharkhand state government, accusing it of creating new crimes to cover up existing ones. Babu Lal Marandi, the state BJP President and Leader of the Opposition, stated that the government and the system have developed a disturbing habit of manufacturing offenses to hide criminal activities. Recent Enforcement Directorate (ED) actions in the coal mafia’s domain in Dhanbad have brought to light startling evidence. More alarmingly, it is reported that certain high-ranking police officials, benefiting from illicit coal earnings, have tasked local operatives with eliminating key figures involved in the illegal coal trade. The objective appears to be silencing individuals being interrogated by the ED, thereby preventing the truth from emerging. This alleged plan to orchestrate ‘encounter killings’ of witnesses, under the guise of apprehending criminals, is not unprecedented in the state. Jharkhand has a history of dealing with controversial police leadership, with past accusations against a DGP involving contract killings and unparalleled corruption, even from within the ruling party. The ED is urged to exercise extreme caution in this environment, where silencing truth-tellers and suppressing facts is commonplace. When power, the administrative system, and criminal elements align, the perversion of justice becomes a mere formality.
