**Cash Recovery by ED**
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) recovered a cash amount of Rs. 35.23 crore from the residence of the private secretary (PS) of Jharkhand’s Rural Development Minister Alamgir Alam. The cash was found stored in large bags in a house near Gadhi Khana Chowk. The employee, Sanjeev Lal, who resides in the same room where the money was found, is associated with Alamgir Alam, a Congress leader and MLA from Pakur constituency in Jharkhand.
**Seizure Operation**
The ED conducted a raid in Ranchi on Sunday and used eight machines to count the notes recovered. So far, the machines have counted Rs. 35.23 crore. A large truck has been brought in to transport the seized amount. Majority of the notes are in Rs. 500 denominations, and some jewelry was also confiscated. Six premises were searched, resulting in the recovery of Rs. 2.39 crore and Rs. 10 lakh from two places, while Rs. 3 crore was seized from another location.
**Previous Cases**
The ED had conducted similar raids last year in a money laundering case involving the former Chief Engineer of the Rural Development Department, Veerendra Kumar Ram. It was alleged that Ram, while serving as the Chief Engineer, earned illegal income in the name of commission by allocating contracts to contractors. In April last year, his properties worth Rs. 39 crore were attached by the ED.
**Allegations and Statements**
Alamgir Alam stated that it is not appropriate to comment before the completion of the ED’s investigation. He mentioned that the premises from where the cash was recovered is related to his private secretary, who is a government employee. He emphasized that they usually appoint private secretaries based on experience. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also highlighted the issue, stating that the government is searching for legal ways to return every penny looted from the poor through corruption.
झारखंड के ग्रामीण विकास मंत्री आलमगीर आलम के निजी सचिव संजीव लाल के घर से 35.23 करोड़ रुपये की नकदी पकड़ी गई है। ईडी के मुताबिक, यह नकदी गढ़ीखाना चौक के पास एक मकान में बड़े-बड़े बैगों में भरकर रखी गई थी। इससे पहले भी ईडी ने ग्रामीण विकास विभाग के पूर्व मुख्य अभियंता वीरेंद्र कुमार राम के मामले में छापे मारे थे। प्रधानमंत्री नरेंद्र मोदी ने इसे भ्रष्टाचार का उजागर मामला बताया और कानूनी रास्ते से पैसा लौटाने की बात कही। आलमगीर आलम ने ईडी की जांच के पूरा होने के बाद ही कोई टिप्पणी करने का सुझाव दिया।