Jharkhand Rural Development Minister and Congress leader Alamgir Alam was remanded to six days of Enforcement Directorate (ED) custody in connection with a money laundering case, as confirmed by lawyers on Thursday.
Alamgir Alam was produced before a PMLA court in Ranchi amid tight security following his arrest after a six-hour interrogation at the ED’s city office on Wednesday. He had also been questioned for over nine hours on Tuesday, during which his statement was recorded.
The arrest came shortly after a significant cash recovery from the household help of his personal secretary, Sanjeev Lal. On May 7, the ED seized approximately Rs 36.75 crore during searches, leading to the arrests of Sanjeev Lal and his domestic aide Jahangir Alam.
The ED informed the special PMLA court in Ranchi that Lal was collecting “commission” on behalf of influential individuals and government officials. The seized cash included Rs 32.20 crore from a flat in Ranchi where Jahangir Alam resided, around Rs 3 crore from other locations, and Rs 10.05 lakh from Lal’s residence. Additionally, on May 8, Rs 1.5 crore was recovered from a contractor’s premises.
The counting process, which took over 12 hours and involved six counting machines, revealed the extent of the alleged illegal cash payment network, implicating officials at various levels.
Despite the serious allegations, Alam, who represents the Pakur seat in the Jharkhand assembly, distanced himself from the case, asserting his longstanding reputation for integrity.
“Elections are going on. The ED is investigating the matter. Being the minister of the department, they can interrogate me. I do not want to say anything about this. People are understanding everything,” Alamgir Alam stated, emphasizing his unblemished image over the past 25-30 years.
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