The Enforcement Directorate announced that it had seized a substantial amount of "unaccounted" cash during raids on premises reportedly linked to Sanjiv Lal, Personal Secretary to Jharkhand Rural Development Minister Alamgir Alam.

Reports indicate that the agency discovered approximately Rs 30 crore in cash from the residence of Sanjiv Lal's household help. Alamgir Alam, a 70-year-old Congress leader, represents the Pakur constituency in the Jharkhand assembly.

Video footage of the search depicted bundles of currency notes scattered in a room allegedly belonging to the domestic help of Sanjiv Lal, the Personal Secretary to Alamgir Alam.

The searches were conducted as part of a money laundering investigation involving Virendra K Ram, the former chief engineer of the rural development department, who was apprehended by the probe agency last year.

Virendra K Ram, accused of accumulating properties valued at 100 crore, was arrested by the ED in February 2023 in connection with a money laundering case associated with purported irregularities in the execution of certain schemes.

During the operation, authorities retrieved a pen drive containing purported transaction records involving certain Jharkhand politicians from his possession.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a public rally in Odisha’s Nabarangpur, commenting on the ED raid in Ranchi. He stated, “Today, mountains of cash are being found in Jharkhand. Modi is taking action against corruption.”

BJP MP from Jharkhand’s Godda, Nishikant Dubet, shared the video of the ED raid at the premises linked to Sanjiv Lal, the personal secretary to state minister Alamgir Alam, stating, “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.”

Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary also reacted to the ED raids in Ranchi, saying, “They are all ‘lootera’. Be it the family of Lalu Prasad Yadav or Shibu Soren, they have done the work of looting the country. When Government will take action against them, they will obviously feel hurt.”

According to a PTI report, Jharkhand Minister Alamgir Alam denied having any “official information” regarding the searches. “I have been watching TV, and it says the premises are linked to the official PS provided to me by the government,” he said.

“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…” Alamgir Alam further said.

Image source: Hindustan Times