Ranchi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday arrested Jharkhand minister and Congress leader Alamgir Alam after recovering a "huge stash of cash" from the household help of his personal secretary, Sanjeev Lal, reported ANI.

Alam was detained under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) following six hours of interrogation at the ED's zonal office in Ranchi.

The minister had also been interrogated for nine hours on May 14.

Last week, the agency arrested Alam's personal secretary Sanjeev Kumar Lal (52), a Jharkhand administrative service officer, and his domestic help Jahangir Alam (42) after the seizure of over Rs 32 crore in cash from a flat linked to them.

The money laundering investigation involves alleged irregularities and bribery in the state rural development department.

While seeking the remand of the two arrested accused, the ED informed a special PMLA court that Lal collected "commissions" on behalf of influential people, asserting that government officials from "top to bottom" in the rural department are involved in the alleged illegal cash payment scheme.