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.
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.
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.
"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'.
"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..."
"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..."