Congress Leader's Aide Raided for Alleged Money Laundering

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted raids at various locations in Ranchi, including the residences of Jharkhand Rural Development Minister Alamgir Alam's personal assistant (PA) Sanjeev Kumar and others. A significant amount of cash, estimated to be over Rs 25 crore, was found at the residence of a person working at Sanjeev Kumar's house. The footage from the raid showed a large pile of currency notes in a room linked to Sanjeev Kumar's domestic helper.

Alamgir Alam, a 70-year-old Congress leader representing the Pakur constituency in the Jharkhand Assembly, is at the center of this investigation. The raids were carried out under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) at more than nine locations, including the residence of Engineer Vikas Kumar, who had ties to Virendra Ram, the former chief engineer at the Jharkhand Rural Development Department, and his associates. Notably, Virendra Ram was arrested following raids conducted by the ED team in February 2023.

The discovery of a substantial amount of cash during these raids has raised concerns about potential financial irregularities and money laundering activities in Jharkhand. The involvement of individuals connected to high-ranking officials in the Rural Development Department has added complexity to the ongoing investigation. Authorities are expected to delve deeper into the source of the recovered funds and the possible implications of these findings on the political landscape of the region.