Former Uttarakhand chief minister and senior Congress leader Harish Rawat has stepped down from two organisational positions in the party following an Enforcement Directorate search at the residence of his personal assistant, Chandan Singh Jeena, in connection with alleged irregularities in a 2016 recruitment examination in Uttarakhand.

Rawat announced that he was resigning as a member of the Uttarakhand Pradesh Congress Committee executive and as a permanent invitee to the Congress Working Committee. He said his decision was intended to ensure that the ongoing political struggle of the Congress was not weakened because of the controversy surrounding his aide.

The development comes amid an investigation into alleged manipulation of examination records in the recruitment process conducted by the Uttarakhand Subordinate Service Selection Commission (UKSSSC) in 2016. The Enforcement Directorate conducted searches at multiple locations as part of a money laundering investigation linked to the alleged recruitment irregularities.

Rawat says he does not want controversy to affect Congress

Announcing his decision, Rawat said he did not want his association with the investigation to become a reason for the Congress party’s campaign or political activities to lose strength.

The former chief minister clarified that he was not resigning from any government position, but from his organisational responsibilities within the Congress. He said that stepping aside from the two posts was a personal decision aimed at protecting the party’s interests.

Rawat’s resignation comes at a politically sensitive time in Uttarakhand, where the Congress is preparing for the next electoral contest. His move is therefore likely to attract attention within the party and among political observers in the state.

ED search at Chandan Singh Jeena’s residence

The Enforcement Directorate carried out searches on September 10 under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. The agency’s investigation is connected to alleged irregularities in the 2016 Gram Panchayat Vikas Adhikari examination conducted by the UKSSSC.

Jeena, whose residence was searched, had served as an Officer on Special Duty to Rawat during his tenure as Uttarakhand chief minister between 2014 and 2017. He is currently associated with Rawat as a personal assistant.

According to the Enforcement Directorate, searches were also conducted at premises linked to officials associated with the recruitment examination, including the then UKSSSC chairman, secretary and examination controller, as well as the owner of a private computer agency involved in processing examination answer sheets and alleged middlemen.

Cash, gold and luxury watches recovered

During the search at Jeena’s residence, the Enforcement Directorate reported recovering unaccounted cash worth ₹32 lakh, gold coins and chains weighing approximately 200.5 grams, and 12 luxury wristwatches.

The watches included products from several luxury brands, according to the agency. Investigators also froze bank accounts belonging to Jeena and members of his family containing funds worth ₹52.16 lakh.

The agency further seized Jeena’s mobile phone for forensic examination. It alleged that some of his cash expenditure could not be explained in relation to his known sources of income.

The recovery of these assets forms part of the financial investigation. The allegations remain subject to the ongoing investigation and any further legal proceedings.

Investigation focuses on alleged OMR sheet manipulation

The ED’s investigation stems from four FIRs registered by the Uttarakhand Police and Vigilance Bureau concerning alleged irregularities in the 2016 recruitment examination.

The agency has alleged that OMR answer sheets were moved from the secure custody of the UKSSSC to the residence of its then secretary. According to the investigation, roll numbers from partially filled answer sheets were allegedly recorded and passed on to personnel associated with a private computer agency.

The agency has further alleged that answers on the sheets were subsequently manipulated before the documents were resealed. Investigators suspect that the alleged activity was carried out in exchange for illegal payments routed through intermediaries.

The allegations are part of the broader probe into the recruitment examination and have brought renewed attention to the functioning of the recruitment system in Uttarakhand.

Rawat defends his aide

Despite the investigation, Rawat publicly defended Jeena and described him as a decent, humble and hardworking person.

Rawat said that if evidence ultimately establishes that Jeena was involved in tampering with OMR sheets during the recruitment examination, such conduct should be dealt with appropriately. At the same time, he said he personally did not believe the allegation against his aide.

His comments have added a political dimension to the ongoing investigation, particularly because Jeena previously worked closely with Rawat during his tenure as chief minister.

Political implications in Uttarakhand

The controversy has emerged at a time when political activity is expected to intensify in Uttarakhand ahead of the next Assembly election cycle.

Rawat also referred to the political significance of the developments, suggesting that the timing of the investigation could influence the political narrative in the state. He questioned whether the action involving an associate was being used to create a particular narrative ahead of the elections.

However, the Enforcement Directorate’s investigation is focused on alleged financial irregularities and suspected money laundering connected with the recruitment examination. Any political interpretation of the investigation remains separate from the legal process.

A senior Congress leader under scrutiny

Rawat’s decision to relinquish his party posts marks a significant development because of his long-standing position within the Congress organisation and his political influence in Uttarakhand.

The former chief minister has remained an important Congress voice in the state even after leaving office. His resignation from the organisational positions appears aimed at preventing the investigation involving his aide from becoming a broader issue for the party.

For the Congress, the immediate challenge will be to keep the focus on its political campaign while responding to questions arising from the ED investigation. For investigating agencies, the key issue will be establishing whether the alleged recruitment irregularities involved a wider financial network and whether the assets recovered during the searches can be linked to the suspected proceeds of crime.

The investigation is continuing, and further action will depend on the evidence gathered by the authorities and the findings of the legal process.