The raid’s video footage reveals a mountain of cash notes strewn throughout a room allegedly owned by Sanjiv Lal, the personal secretary of Jharkhand Rural Development Minister Alamgir Alam’s domestic assistant.

A total of ₹ 25 crore in unaccounted cash was found after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted a number of raids on Monday in Ranchi, the capital of Jharkhand. The recent raids targeted about six locations associated with Virendra Ram, the former chief engineer of the Jharkhand Rural Development Department, and his inner circle. They were carried out in accordance with the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). In February 2023, the ED detained Virendra Ram concerning a money laundering case.  

The raid’s video footage reveals a mountain of cash notes strewn throughout a room allegedly owned by Sanjiv Lal, the personal secretary of Jharkhand Rural Development Minister Alamgir Alam’s domestic assistant. In the Jharkhand assembly, Alamgir Alam, a 70-year-old Congressman, is the representative for the Pakur seat. In response to the raids, Mr Alam stated that since the probe agency is still looking into the matter, it would not be appropriate to comment. 

Sanjiv Lal works for the government and is my personal secretary. He has already served as the personal secretary of two former ministers. There are several government workers, and personal secretaries are typically appointed according to qualifications. Before the ED investigation is finished, it is inappropriate to comment on the raids,” he stated, as cited by news agency ANI. 

“In Jharkhand, corruption is still a problem. The presence of this money during an election suggests that there is a plan to use it for electoral purposes. “This is something that the Election Commission needs to address,” Jharkhand BJP spokesman Pratul Shahdev stated. The investigation agency raids nine places simultaneously, including Ranchi’s Sail City. An ED team was searching Sail City on Monday morning in an attempt to find Vikas Kumar, an engineer with the Department of Road Construction. Raids are carried out in Bariatu, Morhabadi, and Bodia regions by another ED team.