RANCHI: For the first time in Jharkhand, Enforcement Directorate sleuths on Wednesday entered the state rural development ministry office at Project Building in Ranchi and searched the files following the cash haul of Rs. 35.23 crore from the residence of Jahangir Alam, the domestic help of Sanjiv Lal who is the personal secretary to the Rural Development Minister Alamgir Alam.
The ED recovered Rs. 1.75 lakh new currency notes and Rs 28,000 in old 500 notes from the official chamber of Minister Alamgir Alam’s private secretary Sanjeev Lal. Sanjeev Lal, who is currently under ED custody, was also taken along with the ED sleuths.
This is the first time an ED team entered a ministry compound in the state. On Monday, the ED recovered Rs 35.23 crore in cash from the residence of Jahangir Alam, the domestic help of Sanjiv Lal following which both were arrested late at night under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The ED heat is likely to reach the top officials of Jharkhand’s rural development department as the investigation agency in its remand note submitted to the court has alleged that “officials from top to bottom” of the department were involved in a money laundering nexus.
In its remand note, the ED stated, “It is ascertained that Sanjeev Lal takes care of the collection of commission on behalf of some influential persons and plays a pivotal role in managing the tenders and collection of commission from engineers. Also, the said percentage of commission is distributed in a mechanical manner among higher-ups of government.”
It said that during the investigation, names of senior bureaucrats and politicians have emerged which are being investigated…Several officials from top to bottom of the rural development department are involved in this nexus and the huge payments were usually received in cash which were later laundered, which needs to be unearthed.”
Later, during the investigation, it was found that a total of 3.2% was collected in departmental contracts. Out of that, a 1.5% commission went to the big politicians and senior officials of the department as cut money. “During the investigation, the role of some IAS officers and politicians has emerged as highly suspicious,” revealed ED sources. It was also revealed that Rs 35.23 crore commissions were generated in merely three months.
It also came to light during the investigation that the collection of commission went to influential people under the supervision of Sanjeev Lal.
Money was collected in connivance with the syndicate of engineers even for managing tenders and collecting commission.