Harish Rawat Quits Congress Posts After Cash, Gold Seized From Aide

Former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat on Friday announced his resignation from two Congress positions after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) raided the premises of his personal assistant, Chandan Singh Jeena, in connection with a money laundering investigation linked to alleged irregularities in a 2016 recruitment examination conducted by the Uttarakhand Subordinate Service Selection Commission (UKSSSC).Rawat said he did not want any controversy involving a close associate to weaken the Congress party's fight against corruption and therefore decided to step down as a member of the Uttarakhand Pradesh Congress Committee executive and as a permanent invitee to the Congress Working Committee.ED Raid And Recovery From Jeena's ResidenceThe ED said it conducted searches at multiple locations in Dehradun on Thursday, including premises linked to former UKSSSC officials, the owner of a private computer agency involved in processing OMR sheets and alleged middlemen. During the searches, the agency recovered Rs 32 lakh in cash, gold and luxury watches from Jeena's residence.The ED's money laundering case stems from four FIRs registered by the Uttarakhand Police and Vigilance Bureau in connection with alleged irregularities in the Gram Panchayat Vikas Adhikari examination conducted by the UKSSSC in 2016.According to the agency, OMR answer sheets were allegedly removed from secure custody and taken to the residence of the commission's then secretary. There, roll numbers of under-filled answer sheets were allegedly recorded and passed on to personnel of a private computer agency, who fraudulently filled and altered answer bubbles before the sheets were resealed in exchange for illegal payments routed through middlemen.The ED said searches at Jeena's residence led to the seizure of Rs 32 lakh in unaccounted cash, gold coins and chains weighing about 200.5 grams (13 gold coins and 7 gold chains) and 12 luxury watches, including brands such as Rolex, Rado, Piaget, Movado, Tissot and Casio Edifice.The agency also froze bank accounts belonging to Jeena and his family members containing Rs 52.16 lakh and seized his mobile phone for forensic examination.The ED alleged that Jeena had incurred substantial cash expenses for which no legitimate source of income could be established. It also said unaccounted cash, jewellery and other valuables were recovered from some former UKSSSC officials and associated individuals.Jeena is currently serving as Rawat's personal assistant and had earlier worked as his officer on special duty (OSD) when Rawat was chief minister between 2014 and 2017.Rawat Says He Does Not Believe AllegationsReacting to the developments in a lengthy post on X, Rawat acknowledged his association with Jeena but said he found it difficult to believe the allegations against him."News is being shown on television that a large amount of cash and jewellery has been found or made to be found at the residence of my PA in Dehradun. The truth behind this will emerge in the coming days. It is true that Mr Jeena served as my OSD and has held important responsibilities whenever I was in government or in the party," he said.Describing Jeena as "a very decent, humble and hardworking person," Rawat added that if there was evidence that he had tampered with OMR sheets in the recruitment process, he would be ashamed of such conduct."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. However, I do not believe this allegation at all," Rawat said.सामने टीवी पर खबर आ रही है कि देहरादून में हरीश रावत के पीए के पास भारी मात्रा में कैश और ज्वैलरी आदि पकड़ी गई या पकड़ाई गई, इस तथ्य का खुलासा तो आने वाले समय में होगा और यह सत्य है कि श्री जीना मेरे ओएसडी रहे हैं और मैं जितने भी पदों पर रहा, चाहे पार्टी में रहा या सरकार में रहा,… pic.twitter.com/Z6rZYcVev0— Harish Rawat (@harishrawatcmuk) September 11, 2026Why Rawat Decided To Quit Congress PostsExplaining his decision to resign from party posts, Rawat said Uttarakhand politics was entering an election phase and attempts were being made to create a narrative against him."Whenever people asked me when elections would be held, I would jokingly say elections would be announced when the CBI knocked at my door. This time, instead of my house, the knock has come at the house of one of my associates and an attempt is being made to create a narrative," he said.Rawat said the Congress and its workers were fighting corruption, while Rahul Gandhi was raising the issue of corruption in the education system through his 'Chhatron Ki Goonj' campaign."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," he said.Noting that he did not hold any government office from which he could resign, Rawat announced that he would step down from his organisational responsibilities in the Congress."I am a member of the Uttarakhand Pradesh Congress Committee executive and a permanent invitee to the Congress Working Committee at the national level. 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.(With inputs from agencies)