The arrest of Virendra Ram, chief engineer in the Jharkhand Rural Development Department, may have initially seemed like a minor event, with him allegedly accepting a small bribe of Rs 10,000. However, what unfolded after that revealed a much larger and intricate web of corruption within the department.
Ram’s arrest unveiled a systemic malaise wherein bribe money was funnelled through various channels, particularly during the tendering process. His disclosures during interrogation implicated himself and a network of complicit officials, indicating the pervasive nature of corruption within the department.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) took swift action upon receiving these revelations, initiating a detailed investigation corroborating Ram’s claims with intelligence gathered from multiple sources. Their findings underscored the extensive scope of corruption within the Jharkhand Rural Development Department.
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The state government was urged to take prompt action in response to the ED’s findings. However, the authorities’ response was lukewarm, with allegations of collusion emerging as confidential correspondence regarding the matter purportedly reached the individuals under scrutiny.
A letter accessed by India Today revealed damning details of Ram’s modus operandi, wherein he allegedly took bribes in the name of commissions against the allotment of tenders from contractors. The letter specified the commission amount as 3.2 per cent of the total tender value, with Ram allegedly receiving a share of 0.3 per cent.
Armed with incriminating evidence and corroborative intelligence, the ED conducted raids on May 6, 2024, targeting key suspects, including Sanjiv Lal, the Personal Secretary to Rural Development Minister Alamgir Alam. Lal was purportedly a linchpin in the corruption nexus, allegedly involved in contract awarding and amassing considerable wealth in the process.
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