Harish Rawat resigns from Congress posts after ED recovers cash, gold from his PA

Former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat said that the Congress party and its workers were united in the fight against corruption. File. | Photo credit: SUDERSHAN V

Former Uttarakhand Chief Minister and Congress leader Harish Rawat tendered his resignation from the Uttarakhand Pradesh Congress Committee and a standing invitee member of the National Level Congress Working Committee on Saturday (September 12, 2026) after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) recovered cash, jewelery and other valuables from the possession of his PA, Chandan Singh Jeena.

Taking it to X after the ED raid, Mr. Rawat said, “I have taken a major decision: I am not (in) any government post, so what resignation would I give for that! Yes, I am an executive member of the Uttarakhand Pradesh Congress Committee and a standing invitee member of the Congress Working Committee at the national level, and therefore I should not wish to step down from both positions with utmost humility. party fight on my account.”

The ED on Friday (September 11) said it had conducted a search related to the 2016 VPDO exam case, seizing ₹32 lakh, gold and a luxury watch from PA Harish Rawat. It seized an “unaccounted” amount of ₹ 32 lakh, 13 gold coins and seven gold chains weighing about 200.5 g and 12 luxury wristwatches of expensive brands from the establishments of Chandan Singh Jeena.

Mr. Rawat acknowledged that Jeena served as his OSD and held important responsibilities during the various positions he held both in the party and in the government. Describing Jeena as “a very decent, humble and hardworking person”, Mr Rawat said, “If he tampered with OMR sheets during the recruitment of Gram Sevaks and if there is any evidence to show that he has committed any such wrongdoing, I am ashamed of such an alleged audacious act. However, I do not believe the allegation at all.”

The former chief minister said the stakes in the Uttarakhand elections were very high. “Whenever someone asked me when the elections would be held, I jokingly said that the elections will happen when the CBI knocks on my door. If it hasn’t come yet, that means the elections will be held in March-April next year,” he said.

“However, this time instead of knocking on my door, an attempt was made to knock on the door of one of my associates and create a story,” Mr Rawat alleged.

He said that the Congress party and its workers were united in the fight against corruption. “Rahul Gandhi is also raising his voice against corruption in the education system at the national level through the ‘Students Ki Goonj’ programme,” he said.

(With ANI inputs)

Published – 12 Sep 2026 10:19 IST