ED Raids Jharkhand Minister's Secretary, Huge Amount Of Cash Recovered From His Domestic Help

Ranchi: The Enforcement Directorate on Monday began raids at multiple locations in Ranchi and claimed to have recovered a huge amount of "unaccounted" cash during searches of premises allegedly linked to an aide of a state minister, official sources said. Videos and photos shared by the sources showed officials of the central probe agency taking out wads of currency notes from large bags in a room located in a building at Gadikhana Chowk.

The cash was recovered from the household help of Sanjiv Lal, the domestic help of the private secretary of rural development minister Alamgir Alam, in connection with the Virendra Ram case. Some central force security personnel were also seen.

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. The cash is largely in the denomination of Rs 500 and some jewellery has also been recovered, the sources said.

Alam (70), is a Congress leader and represents the Pakur seat in the Jharkhand assembly. Alam said, "I have 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 added.

ED arrested Virendra K. Ram, the chief engineer at the Jharkhand Rural Development Department, in Februray 2023 in a money laundering case linked to alleged irregularities in implementation of some 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.

As per reports, a pen drive with alleged transaction details with some Jharkhand politicians was also recovered from his possession.

This is a developing story.