Former Jharkhand Minister Alamgir Alam Released on Bail After Two Years in Jail

Ranchi, May 14: Alamgir Alam, the former minister of Jharkhand’s Rural Development Department, has been released on bail after spending nearly two years in jail due to a high-profile tender commission scam and money laundering case. His release was finalized after the Supreme Court granted him bail, with his wife, Nishat Alam, acting as the guarantor.

The Supreme Court issued the bail order on Monday, but Alam’s release was delayed until Tuesday due to the late uploading of the order on the official portal. Alam and his personal secretary, Sanjeev Lal, have been in judicial custody since May 2024. After failing to secure relief from lower courts and the Jharkhand High Court, they approached the Supreme Court.

Supporters celebrated outside the jail upon his release, lighting fireworks and distributing sweets. However, the opposition has sharply criticized the celebrations. Babulal Marandi, the leader of the opposition in the Jharkhand Assembly, labeled the release as merely an “interim relief” based on age and health rather than a full acquittal.

Marandi took to social media to express his disdain, stating, “The celebration of bail makes it seem as though a revolutionary has returned from fighting for freedom. Is looting millions and infringing on the rights of the poor a cause for celebration?” He recalled the incident where a massive stash of cash, approximately ₹32.20 crores, was found at the home of Jahangir Alam, Alam’s personal secretary, requiring machines to count the notes.

He warned that while relief may be obtained through power and resources, the stain of corruption is not easily erased. Citing the legal troubles of Lalu Prasad Yadav, he noted that such cases tend to follow individuals indefinitely. This case is linked to an organized tender commission network within the Rural Development Department.

According to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) investigation, around three percent of the total contract amount was collected as commission in exchange for awarding government tenders, with 1.35 percent allegedly reaching the then-minister. During a raid on May 6, 2024, ₹32.2 crores were seized from Jahangir Alam’s residence, while millions in cash were recovered from Sanjeev Lal’s residence and office. Alamgir Alam was arrested by the ED on May 15, 2024.