Former Uttarakhand CM quits Congress posts after ED raid on aide

Former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat on Friday resigned from two organisational posts in the Congress, a day after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) searched the premises of his personal assistant Chandan Singh Jeena in a money laundering investigation linked to alleged irregularities in a 2016 recruitment examination.

The ED said the searches in Dehradun resulted in the seizure of ₹32 lakh in unaccounted cash, gold coins and chains weighing around 200.5 grams, and 12 luxury watches.

Rawat, who has maintained that he does not believe the allegations against Jeena, said he did not want the controversy surrounding his close associate to weaken the Congress' campaign against corruption, particularly as Uttarakhand moves towards an election cycle.

He resigned as a member of the Uttarakhand Pradesh Congress Committee executive and as a permanent invitee to the Congress Working Committee.

ED searches linked to 2016 recruitment case

The ED conducted searches on Thursday at several locations in Dehradun, including premises linked to former officials of the Uttarakhand Subordinate Service Selection Commission (UKSSSC), the owner of a private computer agency involved in processing OMR sheets and alleged middlemen.

The agency's money laundering investigation is based on four FIRs registered by the Uttarakhand Police and Vigilance Bureau over alleged irregularities in the Gram Panchayat Vikas Adhikari examination conducted by the UKSSSC in 2016.

According to the ED, OMR answer sheets were allegedly removed from secure custody and taken to the residence of the commission's then secretary. Roll numbers of under-filled answer sheets were allegedly noted down and passed to personnel of a private computer agency.

The agency has alleged that the personnel subsequently filled or altered answer bubbles before the sheets were resealed, with illegal payments allegedly being routed through middlemen.

Cash, gold and watches seized

The ED said ₹32 lakh in unaccounted cash was recovered from Jeena's residence along with 13 gold coins and seven gold chains weighing about 200.5 grams.

The agency also seized 12 luxury watches, including watches bearing Rolex, Rado, Piaget, Movado, Tissot and Casio Edifice branding.

Bank accounts belonging to Jeena and his family members containing Rs 52.16 lakh were also frozen, while Jeena's mobile phone was seized for forensic examination, the agency said.

The ED alleged that Jeena had incurred substantial cash expenses for which it could not establish a legitimate source of income. It further said unaccounted cash, jewellery and other valuables were recovered from some former UKSSSC officials and other individuals linked to the case.

Jeena is currently serving as Rawat's personal assistant. He had earlier served as Rawat's officer on special duty when Rawat was chief minister between 2014 and 2017.

Rawat backs aide but distances Congress from controversy

In a lengthy post on X, Rawat acknowledged Jeena's long association with him but said the allegations were difficult for him to accept.

Rawat described Jeena as a "very decent, humble and hardworking person" and said the truth behind the ED action would emerge in the coming days.

He, however, made clear that any proven wrongdoing would be unacceptable.

"If he tampered with OMR sheets in the Gram Sevak recruitment examination and there is evidence of such wrongdoing, then I am ashamed of this alleged act," Rawat said, while adding that he did not believe the allegation against Jeena.

Rawat also pointed to the political timing of the ED action, saying Uttarakhand was entering an election phase and that an attempt was being made to build a narrative around him through the controversy involving his associate.

'I do not want the party's fight to suffer'

Explaining his decision to resign, Rawat said the Congress and its workers were fighting corruption and that he did not want any controversy linked to him to undermine that campaign.

He referred to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's 'Chhatron Ki Goonj' campaign on corruption in the education system, saying the party was raising such issues at a time when its own credibility on the issue was important.

"At such a time, if any action associated with me weakens the party's fight, I would never want that. Therefore, I have taken a major decision," Rawat said.

Since he currently holds no government position from which he could resign, Rawat said he had chosen to relinquish his organisational responsibilities in the Congress instead.

"I wish to step down from both these positions with humility because I do not want the party's fight to suffer because of me," he said.

Rawat's resignation comes as the ED investigation puts renewed focus on the alleged recruitment irregularities dating back to 2016 and on the network of officials, private agencies and alleged intermediaries being examined by investigating agencies.