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Marandi working as gangster’s PRO: Congress
The controversy intensified after Leader of Opposition Babulal Marandi wrote to chief minister Hemant Soren, citing video statements by notorious gangster Prince Khan to demand an NIA probe into alleged links between police officials and organised crime.
The political battle over law and order in Jharkhand escalated sharply on Sunday, with the ruling Congress and the opposition BJP exchanging barbs over a fugitive gangster’s viral allegations of a “police-mafia nexus” in Dhanbad, the state’s coal hub.
The controversy intensified after Leader of Opposition Babulal Marandi wrote to chief minister Hemant Soren, citing video statements by notorious gangster Prince Khan to demand an NIA probe into alleged links between police officials and organised crime.
In his letter, Marandi alleged that administrative postings in Dhanbad had effectively become “extortion licences” and claimed that the district was witnessing a “competition” between police and criminals over who could instil greater fear among traders.
He specifically targeted Dhanbad Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Prabhat Kumar, demanding his immediate removal following allegations made by Khan regarding collusion with coal and land mafias.
“Usually, the police expose criminals, but in Jharkhand, gangsters are exposing the alleged black deeds of the police,” Marandi wrote.
Reacting strongly to the BJP leader’s remarks, Jharkhand Congress spokesperson Sonal Shanti accused Marandi of amplifying a gangster’s propaganda for political gain.
“The way Leader of Opposition Marandi circulated the messages of a gangster suggests that he has become a gangster’s PRO. By circulating a gangster’s message, he is boosting the morale of the gangster,” Shanti said.
She added that the state government was already taking appropriate action through established law enforcement channels and dismissed the opposition’s allegations as politically motivated.
Prince Khan alias ‘Chote Sarkar’, a fugitive gangster from Wasseypur, has remained a major challenge for Jharkhand’s security agencies since fleeing India in 2021. Investigators believe he is operating his network from Pakistan and using hawala channels and cryptocurrency to route extortion money.
Marandi also cited reports alleging the gang’s involvement in smuggling foreign-made weapons, including claims that arms were dropped via drones from Pakistan, as grounds for seeking an NIA investigation.
Amid the political slugfest, Dhanbad police have stepped up action against the gang. Authorities recently attached Khan’s properties in Wasseypur and extradited his close associate, Saifuddin alias Major, from the UAE.
The BJP has argued that if a fugitive gangster operating from abroad can allegedly “assess the tenure” of a senior district police officer, it reflects a serious breakdown in governance. The ruling coalition, however, has dismissed the controversy as a political stunt aimed at demoralising the state police force.
