Kumar Bahukhandi
Former Uttarakhand Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Harish Rawat speaks to the media. Rawat on Saturday, September 12, 2026, announced his resignation from two party positions following ED searches at the premises of his former aide Chandan Singh Jeena. Photo: File Photo
Former Uttarakhand CM steps down from State party executive and CWC invitee position after agency says ₹32 lakh cash, gold and luxury watches were seized in VPDO recruitment case searches
Key Highlights
- Harish Rawat resigns from two Congress organisational positions.
- He steps down from the Uttarakhand Pradesh Congress Committee executive and as a permanent invitee to the Congress Working Committee.
- ED searches were conducted in connection with the 2016 VPDO examination case.
- Agency says ₹32 lakh in cash, 13 gold coins, seven gold chains and 12 luxury watches were seized from Chandan Singh Jeena’s premises.
- Rawat says Jeena had previously served as his OSD and handled important responsibilities.
- Rawat rejects the allegation against his former aide while saying any wrongdoing established by evidence would be unacceptable.
- Former CM says his resignation is intended to ensure the controversy does not weaken the Congress’s political fight.
Former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat on Saturday announced his resignation from two organisational positions in the Congress after the Enforcement Directorate said it had recovered cash, gold and luxury watches during searches at the premises of his former aide Chandan Singh Jeena.
Rawat said he was stepping down as a member of the executive of the Uttarakhand Pradesh Congress Committee and as a permanent invitee to the Congress Working Committee, maintaining that controversy surrounding him or his associates should not weaken the party’s political campaign.
“No weakness should come into the party’s struggle on my account,” Rawat said while announcing his decision on X.
ED Searches Linked to 2016 VPDO Examination Case
The ED said on Friday that it had conducted searches in connection with its investigation into the 2016 Village Panchayat Development Officer (VPDO) examination case.
According to the agency, searches at Jeena’s premises resulted in the seizure of ₹32 lakh in allegedly unaccounted cash, 13 gold coins, seven gold chains weighing around 200.5 grams and 12 luxury wristwatches.
Rawat acknowledged that Jeena had worked with him as an Officer on Special Duty and had handled important responsibilities when the Congress leader held positions in government and the party.
At the same time, Rawat defended his former aide’s character while making it clear that any proven wrongdoing would be unacceptable.
“If he tampered with OMR sheets during the recruitment of Gram Sevaks, and if there is evidence to prove that he committed any such wrongdoing, I am ashamed of such an alleged audacious act. However, I do not believe this allegation at all,” Rawat said.
His resignation therefore does not amount to an admission of wrongdoing. Rather, the former Chief Minister has presented his decision as an attempt to prevent the controversy from affecting the Congress at a politically sensitive time.
Rawat also sought to give the ED action a political context, alleging that an attempt was being made to create a narrative by targeting one of his associates.
The former Chief Minister said the Congress and its workers remained committed to fighting corruption and referred to Rahul Gandhi’s campaign against alleged irregularities in the education system.
The developments are likely to intensify political exchanges in Uttarakhand, particularly with the investigation touching an individual who had worked closely with a former Chief Minister.
