Full Breakdown
Harish Rawat Offers to Resign from Congress Posts Amid ED Raid on Aide
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Core Event
On September 12, 2026, former Uttarakhand chief minister and senior Congress leader Harish Rawat announced he would step down from two party positions—the Uttarakhand Pradesh Congress Committee executive and a permanent invitee seat on the Congress Working Committee—after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) raided the residence of his personal assistant Chandan Singh Jeena and recovered assets.
Background & Context
The raid was part of a money-laundering probe linked to alleged irregularities in the 2016 Uttarakhand Subordinate Service Selection Commission (UKSSSC) Gram Panchayat Vikas Adhikari (VPDO) recruitment examination. Jeena had served as an Officer on Special Duty to Rawar during his chief-ministerial term (2014-2017) and later as his personal assistant. Rawat’s government claimed to have filled more than 42,000 government posts during its three-year tenure.
Timeline
- September 10, 2026 – ED searched multiple Dehradun locations, including Jeena’s home, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
- September 11, 2026 – ED said the raids recovered cash, gold and luxury watches and that Jeena’s bank accounts were frozen.
- September 12, 2026 – Rawat posted that he would resign from the two party posts if the matter weakened Congress’s anti-corruption campaign.
Data & Statistics
- The ED seized ? INR32 lakh in cash, about 200.5 g of gold (13 coins and seven chains), and 12 luxury wristwatches.
- Bank accounts of Jeena and his family, holding roughly INR52 lakh, were frozen, bringing the total value of seized and frozen assets to ? INR1.28 crore (some reports cite INR1.2 crore pending watch valuation).
- Rawat claimed that over 42,000 recruitments were completed during his administration.
Official Statements & Responses
- Rawat said he holds no government office and wishes to avoid “any weakness” in Congress’s fight against corruption. He invited the CBI, ED or state police to examine any evidence of his involvement and said he would accept punishment if proven culpable.
- Uttarakhand Congress president Ganesh Godiyal called the ED action politically timed, questioning why a 2016 matter was acted upon after a decade.
Criticism & Opposition
- Kamaljeet Sehrawat, BJP MP, argued that Rawat was aware of illicit activities within his inner circle and that his resignation was justified to protect Congress’s image.
- Sukhdev Bhagat, Congress MP, praised Rawat’s decision as “political propriety” and warned that central agencies are being misused by the BJP-led government.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Congress party membership is in my blood and bones,” — Harish Rawat
- “If there has been any tampering with the OMR sheets in the recruitment of gram sevaks, and if there is any evidence of such a mistake on his part, then I am ashamed of this so-called audacious act of his. However, I have absolutely no faith in this allegation.” — Harish Rawat
What’s Next
Rawat will submit a formal resignation letter to the Uttarakhand Congress president and meet national party president Mallikarjun Kharge. The ED investigation remains active, with further forensic examinations expected.