Jharkhand Minister Alamgir Alam and his Web of Corruption

The recent arrest of Jharkhand's Rural Development Minister, Alamgir Alam, has exposed a deeply unsettling reality. Investigations into the case have uncovered alarming details of systematic deception against the rural people of Jharkhand by the ministry. While the people sank deeper into poverty, the ministry was entangled in a web of corruption, prioritising personal gain over public welfare.

On May 15, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Alamgir Alam, a Congress leader in connection with a money laundering case. A special PMLA court in Ranchi remanded Alam to the ED’s custody for six days.

The Probe has obtained an exclusive copy of the ED’s remand request, which outlines in detail the corruption and misconduct within Jharkhand’s Rural Development Ministry under Alam's leadership.

According to the investigating agencies, Veerendra Kumar Ram, who was arrested on February 23 last year, served as the Chief Engineer in the Rural Development Special Division and Rural Works Department under the Jharkhand government. Ram allegedly collected commissions for tenders and for the execution of the alloted tender-related works.

Exclusive documents obtained by The Probe reveal that "Ram used to collect commissions for the allocation of tenders and the execution of work, with a fixed share of 1.5% being distributed to minister Alamgir Alam."

The agencies investigating the case have uncovered that a network of assistant engineers in the Rural Development Special Division and Rural Works Department managed the entire process of collecting and distributing commissions for work related to Jharkhand's rural development ministry. During his interrogation, Ram disclosed to the interrogators, the entire modus operandi of the commissions collected and distributed. The details of which, official sources say, are "shocking". 

It has been learned that minister Alam allegedly received a commission of 1.5% of the allocated tender amount and, in one instance, was given 3 crore rupees as commission for a tender facilitated by one of his close aides and sent by an Assistant Engineer in September 2022.

The investigating agency has also established that the 32.2 crore rupees recently seized from a flat in the name of Jahangir Alam in Ranchi belong to Alamgir Alam. Documents obtained by The Probe reveal that the "money was collected by Jahangir Alam at the instruction of Sanjeev Kumar Lal, who was acting on behalf of Alamgir Alam."

Even more disturbing are the revelations by the ED in the court that several official documents on letterheads and letters stamped with Jharkhand’s Ministry of Rural Development were found along with large sums of cash in Jahangir Alam’s flat. The investigation found that Sanjeev Kumar Lal, who was the Personal Secretary to Alamgir Alam and an administrative service officer, used Jahangir Alam’s flat to store documents, records, and cash belonging to the minister.

Distribution of Bribe Money in a Mechanised Manner 

The minister’s Personal Secretary, Lal, has also been accused of overseeing the collection of commissions on behalf of the minister and his aides. Lal played a crucial role in managing tenders and collecting commissions from engineers. What is very revealing is the way in which this entire network allegedly operated.

Documents with The Probe reveal that the network of bribery and corruption within the rural development ministry was systematically organised. The percentage of commission or bribe money was "distributed in a mechanised manner to the higher-ups of government." It has been learned that the proceeds of crime were collected and distributed in an organised manner, with shares allocated based on each individuals' roles in the process.

The ED has revealed that numerous officials, from top to bottom of the Rural Development Department, were involved in this corrupt nexus. The substantial payments were typically received in cash and later laundered. While Alamgir Alam faces charges of corruption and money laundering, the more troubling aspect is the pervasive corruption within Jharkhand’s rural development ministry.

Jharkhand's Ministry of Rural Development was envisioned as a transformative force for its rural population. Tasked with implementing programs to alleviate poverty, improve infrastructure, and provide social welfare, the ministry was supposed to be a beacon of hope for millions. Today, however, it is deeply embroiled in corruption. The ministry that was meant to uplift rural Jharkhand is now ensnared in a scandalous web of deceit. The saddest part is that the very leaders entrusted with the responsibility of rural development are the masterminds of corruption, diverting funds meant for the needy into their own pockets. The irony is stark and disheartening: the top official in the ministry, who should embody transparency and integrity, is now behind bars, accused of serious corruption.

Jharkhand, carved out from Bihar in 2000, is rich in mineral resources but poor in agricultural production. Despite accounting for over 40% of India's mineral resources, 39.1% of its population lives below the poverty line, and 19.6% of children under five are malnourished. The state faces persistent issues of poverty and low economic growth. Contributing factors include poor infrastructure, difficult terrains, high population pressure on arable land, low irrigation coverage, limited local employment opportunities and natural calamities like drought.

The latest edition of the Multidimensional Poverty Index, 2021, released by Niti Aayog, reaffirms the paradox of Jharkhand's citizens being deprived of basic amenities despite the state's abundant natural resources. Approximately 42.16% of Jharkhand's population is multidimensionally poor, making it the second poorest state in India.

In this context, corruption and the breakdown of the Rural Development Ministry severely affect the rural poor, especially when those supposed to be committed to rural development are instead lining their own pockets. The scam in Jharkhand's Rural Development Ministry cannot be seen merely as money recovered from a flat or the arrest of a minister.

For a state like Jharkhand, deeply entrenched in poverty, the Rural Development Ministry is vital. It is a key ministry for any significant progress, and nurturing corruption within this ministry only pushes the state further backward. The ministry must be purged of corrupt elements to ensure that resources are directed towards genuine development efforts. Jharkhand cannot afford to let its most crucial ministry be hijacked by those working against its progress.

While some may question the timing of the ED’s arrest or the political motivations behind it, the more critical issue is the impact of such massive corruption on Jharkhand's rural population. This is a significant public interest issue. When investigative agencies reveal that numerous officials, from top to bottom, were involved in "mechanised corruption" in an institutionalised manner, it becomes clear that this entire corrupt network must be dismantled. The solution cannot end with the arrest of one minister - Jahangir Alam alone.

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