Alamgir Alam resigns as minister and Congress Legislature Party leader

Ranchi: Jharkhand Minister Alamgir Alam, who is in jail in connection with a money laundering case, has resigned from the state cabinet and also as the leader of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP), an official said on Tuesday.

In a letter to Chief Minister Champai Soren from Birsa Munda Central Jail, Ranchi, Alam tendered his resignation as a cabinet minister, he said.

Alam, in another letter to AICC chief Mallikarjun Kharge, said, "I hereby submit my resignation from the post of leader of Congress Legislature Party, Jharkhand. I shall remain grateful to the party leadership for providing me an opportunity to work and serve as CLP leader." The Enforcement Directorate had on May 15 arrested the Congress leader in a money laundering case, days after about Rs 32 crore cash was seized from premises linked to his aide.

The opposition BJP in the state last week demanded the removal of Aalam from the Champai Soren cabinet.

Earlier, the chief minister had taken charge of all four portfolios held by Alam - Parliamentary Affairs, Rural Development, Rural Works and Panchayati Raj.

The 70-year-old MLA from Pakur was taken into custody at the central agency's zonal office last month under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).