SUMAN K SHRIVASTAVA
Ranchi, May 7: A day after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) seized Rs 35.23 crore from the premises linked to Rural Development Minister Alamgir Alam, the agency got custody of OSD Sanjiv Lal and household help Jehangir Alam for six days from the Ranchi PMLA court.
The agency, in its remand petition, informed the court that names of senior bureaucrats and politicians had emerged during the investigation into the tender scam.
‘Officials from top to bottom are 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 need to be unearthed.
‘Sanjeev Lal collected commission on behalf of influential persons’
The ED said 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 mechanised manner to higher-ups of government.
Case linked to Veerendra Kumar Ram
Notably, the latest case of money laundering is linked to the suspended chief engineer Veerendra Kumar Ram, who was arrested on February 23 last year.
Ram, posted in the Water resource department, was on deputation, as chief engineer to Rural Works Department and Rural Development Department (Special Division), Government of Jharkhand.
‘Ram used to collect commissions’
“Veerendra Kumar Ram used to collect commissions in terms of allocation of tender and execution of work and the said commission / fixed share of 1.5% was distributed among his seniors and politicians,” the ED said.
“The whole modus operandi in respect of collection of commission and later distribution of the same is being illustrated by VK Ram during his statement made under Section 50 of PMLA, 2002,” the ED said.
‘Sanjeev Lal got huge sum in September 2022’
The ED said that the said commission is collected by Sanjeev Lal through certain persons and in one of the instances V K Ram said that crores of the commission was handed over to Sanjeev Lal in September 2022.
“During, the course of the investigation involvement of other Assistant Engineers was also found in the collection and distribution of commission, and the same is under investigation.”
“During raids on May 6, at various locations in Ranchi incriminating material/ documents were found along with huge stocked-up cash of Rs 32.20 crores found from the premises of Jahangir Alam and an additional amount of Rs 2.93 crores seized from the premise of another associate,” the ED said.
“Jahangir Alam was assisting Sanjeev Kumar Lal and was hoarding the said proceeds of crime on the instruction of Sanjeev Lal. Also, Rs 10.05 lakhs have been recovered and seized from the premises of Sanjeev Kumar Lal,” the ED said.
ED to ascertain trail of money
The ED, during the seven-day custody, would ascertain the trail of proceeds of crime involved in the present case and identify the beneficiaries of the aforesaid proceeds of crime.
Role of alleged/suspected persons
Among other things, the ED will also ascertain the role of other alleged/ suspected persons involved in the laundering of proceeds of crime.
Role of other beneficiaries
The ED will also investigate the role of other beneficiaries including other senior government functionaries who abused their position and acquired the proceeds of crime through Sanjiv Lal and Jehangir Alam in respect of allocation of tender.
