SUMAN K SHRIVASTAVA
Ranchi, May 16: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) today told the Ranchi PMLA court Rural Development Minister Alamgir Alam received a share of 1.5 per cent of the all allocated tender amount.
“In one instance, Alam received Rs. 3 crores as his share which one Assistant Engineer sent in September 2022,” the ED said.
Seeking 10 days’ remand of Alam, whom the ED arrested yesterday, the ED said the whole process of collection and distribution of commission was taken care of by the assistant engineers posted at the Rural Development Special Division and Rural Works Department.
Alam also happens to the Congress legislature party leader in the Jharkhand Assembly and number 2 in the Champai Soren cabinet.
The court, however, granted 6 days’ remand to question Alam under custody to find out more proceeds of the crime and his role in it.
The ED, in its remand petition, said that suspended chief engineer VK Ram has illustrated the whole modus operandi concerning the collection of commission and distribution.
Rs 37.5 crore recovered
Notably, the ED arrested Alam after it recovered a huge amount of cash to the tune of Rs. 37.5 crore, including Rs. 32.2 from the premise of Jahangir Alam, a close aid of Sanjeev Kumar Lal on May 6.
Subsequently, both Jahangir and Lal were arrested.
Rs 32.2 crore pertains to Alamgir Alam
The ED said Rs 32.2 crores, which was found and seized from the flat in the name of Jahangir Alam at Sir Syed Residency Ranchi, pertains to Alamgir Alam and the same was collected by Jahangir Alam at the instruction of Sanjeev Kumar Lal who, in turn, was doing so on behalf of Alamgir Alam.
Sanjiv used a flat to keep Alam’s papers
The ED said several official documents on the official letterheads and official letters were found with huge cash from the premises of Jahangir Alam, which would have been kept under the possession of Sanjeev Kumar Lal, as PS to RDD minister Alamgir Alam. “It establishes that Lal was using this premise for keeping documents/ records, cash and other belongings related to Minister Alamgir Alam,” it added.
Sanjeev Lal takes care of commission collection
The ED said that Lal takes care of the collection of commission on behalf of Alamgir Alam and others. “He also plays a pivotal role in managing the tenders and collection of commissions from engineers. He distributed the said percentage of commission in a mechanised manner to higher-ups of government,” it added.
Several officials involved
The ED said that 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 and needed to be unearthed.
The central agency said that the role of Alamgir Alam is found to be crucial and pivotal in the ongoing investigation based on the statements of witnesses and material collected.
“Alamgir Alam has concealed and been involved in the acquisition and transfer of the proceeds of crime, and thus actively involved in the process of money laundering,” it added.
The agency concluded that Alam has integrated a huge amount of proceeds of crime into the mainstream economy.
