May 7th 2024.
The city of Ranchi was abuzz with news of a major arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). According to official sources, the ED had taken into custody Sanjiv Lal, the personal secretary of Jharkhand minister Alamgir Alam, and Lal's domestic help on Tuesday. This came after a staggering amount of more than Rs 32 crore in cash was recovered from a flat that was linked to the two individuals.
The arrest of Lal and his domestic help came under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, following an overnight questioning session by the ED officials. However, sources revealed that the duo had been uncooperative and evasive during the investigation, making it difficult for the officials to gather information.
The ED's investigation into alleged irregularities in the state rural development department had led them to a two-bedroom flat in Ranchi, which was reportedly occupied by Lal's domestic help, Jehangir Alam. During the raid on Monday, the agency had uncovered a staggering amount of Rs 32 crore in cash from the flat located at Gadikhana Chowk. An additional Rs 3 crore was also found at other premises that were searched, bringing the total cash recovery to a whopping Rs 35.23 crore.
Meanwhile, Jharkhand Rural Development Minister Alam has denied any involvement in the matter, maintaining his innocence. The incident had also caught the attention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who mentioned it during his election rallies in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha on Monday. He questioned the close relationship between such individuals and the "first family" of the Congress party, referring to the Gandhi family.
"They have turned the house of a worker into a warehouse of corruption. This is not the first time such a large amount of cash has been seized. Even counting machines were exhausted," Modi said during his rally at Vemagiri in Andhra Pradesh.
The Congress and other opposition parties have accused the BJP-led Centre of misusing agencies like the ED to target their leaders. The federal agency had also recovered an official communication from May 2023, written by the Ranchi unit of the ED to the Jharkhand chief secretary, requesting an independent probe and the registration of an FIR into the alleged bribes taken from contractors working for the state rural development department.
These revelations had come to light through former chief engineer of the rural works department, Veerendra Kumar Ram, who was arrested by the ED last year. The agency had also found recommendation letters written by MLAs and other influential individuals to Alam, requesting favourable transfers and postings of state government officials.
The ED's investigation had stemmed from a money-laundering case against Ram, who had allegedly generated proceeds of crime by taking commission from contractors in exchange for tenders. The agency had attached the officer's assets worth Rs 39 crore, stating that he and his family members were living a lavish lifestyle with the ill-gotten gains. The incident has caused quite a stir in the political circles of Jharkhand and has raised questions about corruption in the state's rural development department.
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