A Special PMLA Court in Jharkhand's Ranchi on Monday framed charges against suspended IAS officer Pooja Singhal and others in a money laundering case.
On Monday, the special PMLA court of Ranchi ED approved this. Now the trial will go on in the court against Pooja Singhal as an accused. Pooja Singhal was also present in the court during the hearing. Special Judge PK Sharma of ED's Special Court read out the allegations against Pooja Singhal.
The charge has been framed under sections 3 and 4 of the said law. With the development now trial can be started against the suspended senior bureaucrat of Jharkhand.
The special PLMA Court had earlier rejected Singhal's discharge petition and decided to frame charges in the case on Wednesday (April 5). On Wednesday, the defence side sought time as they had a matter listed in Supreme Court on April 6.
Upon hearing both sides, the court fixed the next date on April 10, for framing of charges.
In May, the Enforcement Directorate arrested Jharkhand mining secretary Pooja Singhal in connection with a money-laundering probe linked to the alleged embezzlement of MGNREGA funds and other charges.
She was the second arrest in this case as ED already arrested Chartered Accountant Suman Kumar on May 7. ED recovered Rs 17.51 crore from the premises of Kumar and Rs 1.8 crore from Pulse Hospital.
Singhal was arrested after ED got credible evidence of her connection with CA Suman Kumar to frame the charges.
Pooja Singhal was the secretary of the Department of Mines and Geology and the Managing Director of Jharkhand State Mineral Development Corporation Limited (JSMDC).
On December 1, 2022, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) attached suspended IAS officer Pooja Singhal’s properties worth Rs 82.77 crore. According to the ED, the properties comprise two land parcels in Ranchi as well as the super specialty hospital named “Pulse Super Speciality Hospital” and the diagnostics center named “Pulse Diagnostic and Imagining Center.”
Between February 16, 2009 and July 19, 2010, Pooja Singhal served as the deputy commissioner (DC) of Khunti. MGNREGA money was allegedly misappropriated in the Khunti region, along with other shady financial activities, during her stay there.
On the basis of numerous FIRs filed by the Jharkhand Police and the Vigilance Bureau Jharkhand, the ED launched a money laundering probe against Pooja Singhal.
The Khunti district MGNREGA scam in Jharkhand is one of the biggest high-profile scams. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is currently investigating the MGNREGA scam case of Rs 18.8 crore in the Khunti district as well as the irregularities in Chatra worth Rs 6 crore in Jharkhand. Along with this, the ED is probing the illegal allotment of forest land for Palamu’s Kathautia Mines.