Jharkhand:The Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday arrested Jharkhand minister Alamgir Alam's personal secretary Sanjiv Lal and his domestic help after the probe agency recovered unaccounted cash worth over Rs 35 crore during the raid in Ranchi on May 6, official sources said.
According to the sources, the duo has been taken into custody under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) following their overnight questioning.
Meanwhile, Jharkhand rural development minister and Congress leader Alam had denied any wrongdoing on his part.
Rs 35 crore cash recovered
On Monday, the Enforcement Directorate conducted multiple raids in Ranchi, including a 2BHK flat in the city, purportedly occupied by Lal's domestic help, Jehangir, as part of a money laundering investigation related to alleged irregularities in the state rural development department.
During the operation, over Rs 32 crore in cash was discovered, in addition to Rs 3 crore found at other locations searched by the central agency. The total amount recovered in cash stands at Rs 35.23 crore. Some jewellery has also been seized.
Videos and photos shared by the sources showed officials of the agency emptying wads of currency notes from large bags in a 2BHK flat located at Gadikhana Chowk in Ranchi. ED sources said the cash was being counted to ascertain the exact amount.
The ED has been probing this case since last year and has arrested Virendra K Ram, a former chief engineer of the state rural development department. The money laundering case against Ram stems from a complaint of the Jharkhand Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB).
The central probe agency had alleged in a statement last year that Ram had "generated proceeds of crime in the name of commission from contractors in lieu of allotment of tenders to them."
"The proceeds of crime thus generated were used by Veerendra Kumar Ram and his family members to live a very lavish lifestyle," it said.