Jharkhand CM to take over minister Alam’s portfolios

Alamir Alam, who was arrested by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) last month in connection with a money laundering case, has now been rendered a minister without portfolios, and Jharkhand chief minister Champai Soren will now be heading the portfolios allotted to the Congress leader, top officials in the state government said on Friday.

The department of cabinet secretariat and vigilance on Friday issued a notification, allotting the four departments headed by Alam to the chief minister.

“The notification was issued after approval from the Governor. Besides other departments already allotted to him, the Chief Minister would now also hold the four departments headed by Alam, including Parliamentary Affairs, Rural Development, Rural Works, and Panchayati Raj,” a senior official aware of the development said.

Top officials said the chief minister decided to take away the portfolios as work in these departments after the Election Commission lifted the model code on June 6 would be affected.

All these four departments have been with Alam in the previous Hemant Soren and incumbent Champai Soren cabinets.

The ED arrested Alam on May 15 on money laundering charges, days after the agency recovered ₹35 crore from the house of his personal secretary’s domestic help. The ED raided the premises in connection with an alleged tender scam in the rural development department.

Alam, also the leader of the Congress Legislature Party, was arrested after being questioned by the central agency in connection with the cash seizure. The minister, currently in judicial custody, is yet to resign as minister.

Jharkhand Congress in-charge Ghulam Ahmed Mir told HT last week that the party would take a call on Alam’s resignation after the conclusion of the Lok Sabha election process.