Harish Rawat Resigns From Congress Posts Following ED Raids on Personal Assistant

Former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat resigned from his positions as a member of the Uttarakhand Pradesh Congress Committee and a permanent invitee to the Congress Working Committee on September 12, 2026. The resignations followed raids by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on the premises of his personal assistant, Chandan Singh Jeena. The ED reported recovering 32 lakh rupees in unaccounted cash, 13 gold coins, seven gold chains weighing approximately 200.5 grams, and 12 luxury wristwatches from Jeena's residence. Additionally, the agency froze bank accounts belonging to Jeena and his family containing 52.16 lakh rupees, bringing the total value of seized and frozen assets to approximately 1.28 crore rupees.

The investigation pertains to alleged irregularities in the 2016 Gram Panchayat Vikas Adhikari (VPDO) examination conducted by the Uttarakhand Subordinate Service Selection Commission (UKSSSC). According to the ED, OMR answer sheets were diverted from secure custody to the residence of the then Secretary of the UKSSSC. There, roll numbers were noted and handed to a private computer agency to fraudulently alter answer bubbles in exchange for illegal gratification. The ED conducted searches at multiple locations in Dehradun, including the homes of the former chairman, secretary, and exam controller of the UKSSSC, as well as the owner of the private computer agency.

Rawat, who noted that Jeena served as his Officer on Special Duty (OSD) during his tenure as Chief Minister, stated that he stepped down so that no weakness would affect the party's struggle. While he expressed shame if evidence proved Jeena tampered with OMR sheets, he stated that he did not believe the allegations. Rawat further alleged that the action against his associate was an attempt to create a narrative ahead of the next elections.