ED recovers huge amount of cash from alleged aide of Jharkhand minister

NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate on Monday conducted raids in multiple locations across Ranchi and recovered huge amount of 'unaccounted' cash from an alleged close aide of Jharkhand rural development minister and Congress MLA Alamgir Alam.

Video footage showed wads of currency notes spread in a room from the house of the domestic help allegedly linked to the private secretary of rural development minister Alamgir Alam.

Talking to PTI, Alam said "I have no official information regarding this so far."

"I have been watching TV and it says the premise is linked to the official PS (private secretary) provided to me by the government," he added.

Alam (70), is a Congress leader and represents the Pakur seat in the Jharkhand assembly.

According to the officials, more than Rs 20 crore has been counted from the cash recovered in the raid and the counting is still in progress.

ED sources said the note-counting machines have been deployed to count the cash to ascertain the exact amount which could range between Rs 20-30 crore.

Earlier in February 2023, the agency had apprehended Virendra K Ram, the chief engineer at the Jharkhand Rural Development Department for, to alleged irregularities in implementation of some of the government schemes.

"Veerendra Kumar Ram, posted as chief engineer in the Rural Works Department in Ranchi, had generated proceeds of crime in the name of commission from contractors in lieu of allotment of tenders to them," the agency had alleged in a statement issued last year in April after it attached assets worth Rs 39 crore of the officer.

"The proceeds of crime thus generated were used by Veerendra Kumar Ram and his family members to live a very lavish lifestyle," it said.

'Congress's hand is with black money'

Soon after the raids, BJP accused the Congress party of promoting rampant corruption in the state.

Taking to X, Jharkhand BJP spokesperson Pratul Shah Deo posted,"Don't be surprised. This is not the scene of the cash vault of any government bank. This is the treasure of crores of rupees recovered during the raid conducted by ED in the house of the personal secretary of Alamgir Alam ji, a minister of Jharkhand government, which was looted from the tribal indigenous people of Jharkhand."

"The salary of a private secretary is 35-40 thousand rupees per month. Where did he get so much money from?" he added.

Godda MP and BJP leader, Nishikant Dubey also reacted to ED's raid in the state and said, "More than 30 crore rupees and counting continues… Today, ED took a big action against Sanjeev Lal, personal secretary of Congress Legislative Party leader and Jharkhand government's corruption king Hemant government minister Alamgir Alam… More than 30 crore cash was found at Sanjeev Lal's residence.Story of Pradeep Yadav's party…


The central agency is also conducting simultaneous raids at nine other locations, including Sail City in Ranchi. While, a team of the ED was searching Sail City to locate Vikas Kumar, an engineer from the Road Construction Department another team is conducting raids in the Bariatu, Morhabadi, and Bodia areas.