Jharkhand Raid: ED Finds 'Rs 20 Cr Cash' At Minister's Aide's Premises, BJP Says 'Endless Story Of Corruption'

ED Raid In Jharkhand: The cash was allegedly recovered from the household help of Sanjiv Lal, the personal secretary of Jharkhand Rural Development Minister and senior Congress leader Alamgir Alam.

ED pile cash recovered from Sanjiv Lal's household help in Ranchi. ( Image Source :ANI )

Jharkhand Raid: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted raids at multiple locations in Jharkhand capital Ranchi on Monday morning. According to an ANI report, ED officials claimed to have recovered over Rs 20 crore in cash from the household help of Sanjiv Lal, the personal secretary of Jharkhand Rural Development Minister and senior Congress leader Alamgir Alam.    

#WATCH | The Enforcement Directorate is conducting raids at multiple locations in Ranchi. Huge amount of cash recovered from household help of Sanjiv Lal - PS to Jharkhand Rural Development minister Alamgir Alam, in Virendra Ram case.

ED arrested Virendra K. Ram, the chief… pic.twitter.com/VTpUKBOPE7

— ANI (@ANI) May 6, 2024

The raids are being conducted in connection with a money laundering case against a former chief engineer in the rural development department, Virendra K Ram. 

#WATCH | Jharkhand: Visuals from the residence of household help of Sanjiv Lal - PS to Jharkhand Rural Development minister Alamgir Alam in Ranchi. More than Rs 20 crores has been counted so far. Counting is still in process.

The Enforcement Directorate is conducting raids at… pic.twitter.com/W0Y1bqqSdC

— ANI (@ANI) May 6, 2024

Rural Development Department Chief Engineer Virendra Kumar Ram was arrested in February 2023 in a money laundering case linked to alleged irregularities in the implementation of some schemes. He was then suspended by the Jharkhand government. On February 23, a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court sent Ram to ED custody for five days.

After Ram was questioned, the ED conducted multiple searches on February 21, 2023, in Ranchi, Jamshedpur and a few other places in Jharkhand, Bihar, and Delhi. The ED conducted raids at 24 locations across the country in connection with the case. 

The agency reportedly also seized some luxury cars and SUVs during the raids.

'Endless Story Of Corruption'

Jharkhand BJP spokesperson Pratul Shah Deo said there have been no signs of corruption ending in the state, citing the example of Congress Rajya Sabha MP Dheeraj Sahu, from whom the ED allegedly recovered over Rs 300 crore in cash earlier this year. Deo said Alamgir Alam should be taken into custody and strictly interrogated as well.

#WATCH | Jharkhand: On ED raids in Ranchi, state BJP spokesperson Pratul Shah Deo says, "The endless story of corruption of Jharkhand government shows no signs of ending. Just a few days ago, Rs 300 crore cash was recovered from the house and office of a Congress MP. More than Rs… https://t.co/OunbwtKMM9 pic.twitter.com/Y0fqjSXYTy

— ANI (@ANI) May 6, 2024

"The endless story of the corruption of the Jharkhand government shows no signs of ending. Just a few days ago, Rs 300 crore cash was recovered from the house and office of a Congress MP. More than Rs 10 crore was recovered from the residence of the associates of Pankaj Mishra, a close associate of the chief minister. Now from the house of the personal secretary of minister Alamgir Alam, more than Rs 25 crore has been recovered. Alamgir Alam should be taken into custody immediately, he should be strictly interrogated... The Election Commission should also take cognisance...", he was quoted as saying by ANI.

BJP MP Deepak Prakash said JMM, Congress and RJD were converting Jharkhand into 'Lootkhand'.

#WATCH | Patna, Bihar: BJP MP Deepak Prakash says, "Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, Congress and RJD are doing the work of converting Jharkhand into 'Lootkhand'. Today again an amount of more than Rs 25 crore has been recovered, and it belongs to the ministers of the ruling party. The… https://t.co/OunbwtKMM9 pic.twitter.com/SHdUuIaZXh

— ANI (@ANI) May 6, 2024

"Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, Congress and RJD are doing the work of converting Jharkhand into 'Lootkhand'. Today again an amount of more than Rs 25 crore has been recovered, and it belongs to the ministers of the ruling party. The people of Jharkhand are feeling insulted today..."

Meanwhile, Minister Alamgir Alam while speaking to the media said, "It is not right to comment on the raids before the ED investigation is completed..."

#WATCH | Jharkhand Rural Development Minister Alamgir Alam says "Sanjiv Lal is a government employee. He is my personal secretary. Sanjiv Lal has already been a personal secretary of two former ministers. There are several government employees and we usually appoint personal… https://t.co/OunbwtKMM9 pic.twitter.com/hNMqwhXIXV

— ANI (@ANI) May 6, 2024

"Sanjiv Lal is a government employee. He is my personal secretary. Sanjiv Lal has already been a personal secretary of two former ministers. There are several government employees and we usually appoint personal secretaries based on experience. It is not right to comment on the raids before the ED investigation is completed..."