Ranchi: The Enforcement Directorate seized around Rs 25 crore from the premises of Jharkhand Minister and Congress MLA Alamgir Alam's aide during multiple raids on Monday.
The agency claimed they recovered the huge amount of "unaccounted" cash during searches at the premises of the domestic help allegedly linked to Sanjiv Lal, the secretary of Alamgir Alam.
A video released by the agency showed its sleuths taking out wads of currency notes from large bags in a room located in a building at Gadikhana Chowk. Some central force security personnel were also seen at the location.
Alam (70), is a Congress leader and represents the Pakur seat in the Jharkhand assembly. When asked about it, he said he had "no official information regarding this so far." "I have been watching TV, and it says the premises are linked to the official PS (private secretary) provided to me by the government," he said.
"Sanjiv Lal is a government employee. He is my personal secretary. He has already been a personal secretary of two former ministers. There are several government employees, and we usually appoint a personal secretary based on experience. It is not right to comment on the raids before the ED investigation is completed...," Alam said.
ED sources said the note-counting machines were deployed to count the cash to ascertain the exact amount, which could range between Rs 20 to 30 crore. The cash is largely in the denomination of Rs 500 and some jewellery has also been recovered, they said.
The searches are linked to a money laundering case against the former chief engineer of the rural development department, Veerendra Kumar Ram, who was arrested by the ED last year.
"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.
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