Jharkhand’s political landscape is heating up as Leader of the Opposition Babulal Marandi levels explosive allegations against the state’s CID investigation into recruitment exam irregularities. On Sunday, the BJP leader accused the Hemant Soren-led government of orchestrating a cover-up to protect influential figures while junior officials bear the brunt.

Key facts

  • Babulal Marandi is Leader of Opposition in Jharkhand Assembly
  • Allegations involve JPSC and JSSC recruitment exam irregularities
  • CID probe led by ADG-rank IPS officer Manoj Kaushik
  • Marandi demands CBI inquiry and videographed statements

Deepening Suspicions

Marandi didn’t hold back. In a detailed post on X, he claimed that when detainees name high-profile politicians or officials during interrogations, those parts mysteriously vanish from official records. Junior investigators, he added, are allegedly pressured by seniors to omit such details. The absence of videography during statement recording only fuels these concerns.

“If these complaints are true, it constitutes a grave matter of suppressing the truth and protecting influential people under the guise of an investigation,” Marandi wrote.

A Pattern of Interference?

This isn’t the first time questions have been raised about the probe’s integrity. Marandi pointed to former DGP Anurag Gupta, previously accused of steering investigations off course, destroying evidence, and downplaying the scam. The CID’s sudden shift in stance after student protests has only deepened public distrust.

Now, with another officer, Manoj Kaushik, leading the probe, complaints suggest a familiar pattern: “small fish” are being sacrificed to shield the “big fish.” Marandi warned that arresting low-level individuals won’t calm public anger.

Calls for Action

Marandi’s message was clear: stop tampering with evidence, and stop pressuring officials for fabricated statements. He urged Chief Minister Hemant Soren not to push students and the unemployed back onto the streets. Instead, he demanded an immediate recommendation for a CBI inquiry and strict protocols to preserve all original statements, videos, and digital evidence.

His advice to young officers was stark: “do not stake your service, reputation, and conscience merely to curry favour with those in power.”