Ranchi, September 16 (Daily Kiran) : Former Jharkhand Rural Development Minister Alamgir Alam has received a significant setback in his ongoing legal battle. The Supreme Court has declined to intervene in a decision made by the Jharkhand High Court, which dismissed Alam’s plea to be discharged from a money laundering case connected to a tender scam.
The case was presented before a bench comprising Justice Dipankar Dutta and Justice Shil Nagoo. Previously, a special court in Ranchi had also rejected Alam’s request for discharge. Following that, the High Court upheld this decision, refusing to intervene.
According to the High Court’s ruling from May 6, 2026, evidence presented by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) included documents and statements related to alleged commission payments in exchange for tender allocations, implicating Alamgir Alam. The court noted that at the discharge stage, it must only assess whether there is a prima facie case against the accused.
The ED’s investigation revealed that approximately ₹37.55 crore in cash was seized during searches conducted in May 2024 at various locations. The agency alleged that a system of collecting commissions from contractors in exchange for tender allocations in the Rural Works Department was uncovered. It was reported that about 3.2% of the total tender value was taken as commission, with around 1.5% earmarked for the then minister.
The High Court’s decision referenced statements and documents presented by the ED, indicating that Alam’s alleged involvement could not be dismissed at this stage. However, the court clarified that these findings do not determine the ultimate guilt or innocence but are related to the evaluation of prima facie evidence at the discharge phase.
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