May 15th 2024.
On Wednesday, the Enforcement Directorate made an arrest that has been making waves in Ranchi. According to official sources, Congress leader and Jharkhand Rural Development Minister, Alamgir Alam, was taken into custody for his alleged involvement in a money laundering case. The 70-year-old was apprehended at the agency's zonal office in Ranchi, under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. This development came after a lengthy interrogation that lasted about six hours, on the second day of questioning.
It was reported that Alam was subjected to intense questioning by the federal agency on Tuesday, for a period of over nine hours. His statement was also recorded during this time. This arrest comes on the heels of the agency's previous arrest of Alam's personal secretary, Sanjeev Kumar Lal, and his domestic help, Jahangir Alam. This was after a whopping Rs 32 crore in cash was seized from a flat allegedly linked to them. As per reports, the money laundering investigation is focused on alleged irregularities and the suspicious payment of "bribes" in the state's rural development department.
During a hearing at a special PMLA court in Ranchi, the ED had requested for the remand of the two arrested individuals. They informed the court that Lal was collecting "commission" on behalf of influential people and that government officials from top to bottom in the rural department were involved in this illicit cash payment network. In total, the ED has seized a staggering Rs 36.75 crore in cash in connection to this case. This includes Rs 10.05 lakh from Lal's residence and Rs 1.5 crore from a contractor's place, apart from the initial Rs 32 crore.
This high-profile arrest has sent shockwaves through the political circles in Ranchi. The ED has not disclosed any further details about the case, but it is clear that they are determined to get to the bottom of this alleged corruption scandal. As the investigation continues, the people of Ranchi can only wait and see how this case unfolds and what other developments come to light.
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