A special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court in Ranchi dismissed the bail application of former Jharkhand minister Alamgir Alam on Friday, highlighting his influence and potential to tamper with evidence and witnesses in a high-profile money laundering case.
The court, presided over by Judge Prabhat Kumar Sharma, deemed the charges against the veteran Congress leader as severe, posing a significant “economic threat” to national interests. Judge Sharma emphasized that money laundering crimes are typically premeditated and harm both society and the economy for personal gains. He referred to judicial precedents which suggest that for money launderers, “jail is the rule and bail is the exception.”
Alam, 74, who previously served as the Rural Development Minister, was arrested on May 15 by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) following an interrogation at their Ranchi office. He sought regular bail, asserting his innocence and claiming political motivation behind the accusations. His defense argued there was no substantial evidence linking Alam to the alleged crimes, branding the case as a product of a vindictive agenda aimed at tarnishing his reputation.
However, the court found that the evidence presented by the ED painted a different picture. Reports indicated that Alam, in collaboration with other accused individuals including his personal secretary Sanjeev Kumar Lal and former chief engineer Veerandra Kumar Ram, was involved in a systematic scheme to collect commissions on state-funded projects.
The prosecution argued that these illicit activities involved the collection of a fixed commission from contractors executing public works, which was then distributed among senior officials and politicians, including Alam.
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Despite his legal team highlighting Alam’s health issues, such as sleep apnea and hypertension, the court sided with the ED’s depiction of Alam as a highly influential figure. This status, the court feared, could lead him to interfere with the ongoing investigation by influencing witnesses or manipulating evidence.
