Congress' Corruption: Rs 25 Crore Cash Found From Room Of Domestic Help Of Jharkhand Minister's Personal Secretary

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday (6 May) discovered Rs 25 crore of unaccounted cash from the room of a domestic help of the personal secretary of a Congress Minister in Jharkhand.

Jharkhand is ruled by the coalition of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and Congress, where the concerned minister Alamgir Alam heads the Rural Development department and is a Congress MLA from Pakur.

The house of his personal secretary Sanjiv Lal was raided under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) where the ED searched locations linked to former chief engineer Virendra Ram.

Ram worked at the Jharkhand Rural Development Department and was arrested last year in February. His assets worth Rs 39 crore were attached as the ED considered it generated through proceeds of crime. 

Approximately half a dozen locations were raided in Ranchi from where a video footage came out showing a mountain of currency notes, mostly in Rs 500 denomination, scattered across the room of the help.

Some jewellery was also recovered, while the counting of cash is undergoing. The ED officials estimate the cash to be worth Rs 20 to 30 crore, PTI reported.

The opposition in the state, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) called out the corruption of the ruling government as its spokesperson Pratul Shahdev highlighted emergence of cash during elections.

"Corruption is not ending in Jharkhand. This money during elections indicates that there is a plan to spend this money in the elections. The Election Commission should take action on this," he said.

Lok Sabha elections in Jharkhand will be held in four phases, starting from 13 May and lasting upto 1 June, coinciding with the last phase of general elections. Results will be declared on 4 June.