3 min readRanchiMay 8, 2026 04:24 PM IST
A purported video of fugitive Jharkhand gangster Prince Khan accusing an IPS officer of extortion, collusion with coal mafias and threatening businessmen with terror-related cases has sparked a political row in the state, triggering a political slugfest between the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
In the recent clip, Khan — who himself faces extortion charges and is believed to be operating from Pakistan — purportedly accused an IPS officer of extortion, collusion with coal mafias and threatening businessmen with terror-related cases. “Tum vardi pehen ke rangdari leta hai, hum bina vardi pehne rangdari lete hain (You extort money wearing a uniform, while I do it without a uniform),” Khan says in the video while directly addressing the officer.
The gangster is also heard alleging that traders were being forced to pay money to avoid being implicated in “terror funding” cases. He further accused the officer of facilitating illegal coal operations and exploiting poor residents in the coal belt region, claiming he “possessed proof of such illegal financial dealings”.
When contacted, the officer declined to comment, saying he was “unaware” of such a video.
The video has since triggered a political storm with Leader of Opposition Babulal Marandi and BJP state president Aditya Sahu questioning Jharkhand’s law-and-order machinery and seeking a deeper investigation. Calling the allegations deeply concerning, former chief minister Marandi said they raised questions over the state’s law enforcement machinery and pointed to a “nexus” between mafias and sections of the administration. He also targeted Chief Minister Hemant Soren, saying the video raised serious questions about the state’s administrative machinery.
In a statement, the BJP demanded the immediate removal of the officer, a high-level impartial inquiry, judicial monitoring of allegations linked to mining mafias, land grabbing and administrative protection, and strict legal action against those found guilty.
“If there is even a fraction of truth in these allegations, then this is not merely an administrative failure but a serious crisis for democratic governance,” Marandi said, while questioning why officers facing such allegations were being given important responsibilities instead of being subjected to scrutiny.
Story continues below this ad
Responding to the BJP’s allegations, JMM general secretary and spokesperson Supriyo Bhattacharya defended the state government and said the BJP should instead question the Centre over why the fugitive gangster had not been brought back to India.
“The Jharkhand Police has repeatedly written to the Government of India regarding such hardened criminals because he is not in the country anymore. If he is abroad, then only the Union government can bring him back through agencies like Interpol,” Bhattacharya told The Indian Express.
Calling the BJP’s attack politically motivated, he said the Opposition should ask Union Home Minister Amit Shah why such criminals were able to flee the country and why the Centre had failed to bring them back. “Irrespective of who the officer is, if a criminal is making such statements, then that itself is wrong,” he added.
