Loot model of JMM-Cong confirmed, says BJP after Rs 25 cr found in ED raid

Ranchi, May 6 (IANS) After the emergence of a video showcasing stacks of currency notes at the residence of a Jharkhand Minister's PA's house help during the raid, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), said it was a glaring instance of corruption within the INDIA bloc.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) was on Monday conducting raids at various places in the state and recovered Rs 25 crore from the house of a man who works as a house help at the residence of Rural Development Minister Alamgir's personal assistant (PA), Sanjeev Kumar.

The raid has sparked heated controversy. The emergence of video footage showcasing stacks of currency notes during the raid quickly went viral on social media platforms, intensifying public scrutiny and political backlash.

Babulal Marandi, the president of the Jharkhand BJP and a former Chief Minister, shared the incriminating video and said, “The loot model that the Prime Minister was talking about just two days ago regarding the JMM-Congress, has now been confirmed by this money, "

Marandi said that while the Congress dreams of making its prince the Prime Minister with these stolen funds, they have robbed the rights of the poor, Dalits, Adivasis, and the marginalised.

"From Dheeraj Sahu to Alamgir Alam and from Pankaj Mishra to Puja Singhal, the seizure of endless black money from their addresses has exposed the organised plunder carried out by the state government over the past 5 years,” he wrote on X.

“Think about it, if Rs 25 crore in cash can be found with the servant of a minister's PA in Jharkhand, then how much more of the hard-earned money of the poor have other ministers looted and hidden with their servants? We feel that Kalpana Soren ji will now stop shedding crocodile tears and saying what is Hemant Soren's crime,” he further stated.

“There is a strong possibility of influencing the general elections by misusing all this money. @ECISVEEP Immediately raid the hideouts of all the highly corrupt ministers of the state to stop the misuse of black money in elections and take strict action,” the post added.

BJP MP Nishikant Dubey also wrote on X and claimed that more than Rs 30 crore have been recovered and counting continued.

“Today, ED took a big action against Sanjeev Lal, personal secretary of Congress Legislative Party leader and Jharkhand government's corruption king Hemant government minister Alamgir Alam… More than 30 crore cash was found at Sanjeev Lal's residence @dir_ed,” he wrote on X.

Opposition leader in the Jharkhand Assembly, Amar Kumar Bauri, said that the recent cash seizure incident has proven that the JMM-Congress-RJD government is the most corrupt in the state's history. He said they have turned "Jharkhand" into "Lootland”.