Law Kumar Mishra
Ranchi, May 6
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday conducted raids at multiple premises, including that of Jharkhand mining secretary and Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Pooja Singhal.
The action is seen in connection with a money laundering probe linked to alleged embezzlement of over Rs 18 crore MGNREGA funds in Khunti district of the state during 2008-11. Singhal is an IAS officer of 2000 batch and was posted as the deputy commissioner in Khunti district earlier.
Sources said that the ED officials reached Ranchi late last evening. The Bengal passing vehicles parked outside the Banke guest house linked that the team had come from West Bengal. The officials involved in the raid were provided a security escort by the personnel of the central paramilitary force CRPF.
The searches are being carried out under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) at about 18 premises in Jharkhand, Bihar, West Bengal and a few other states they said. Officials said the premises of the IAS officer and secretary of the department of mines and geology of Jharkhand government Singhal in state capital Ranchi were also being covered as part of the action.
In Ranchi, raids were being conducted at Pulse Hospital, owned by Singhal’s husband Abhishek Jha and her official residence, besides other locations in Doranda, Bariatu and Kanke Road. City police, however, remained tight-lipped.
BJP’s Godda MP Nishikant Dubey informed about the raids early on Thursday morning on his official twitter handle. He wrote: “One of the officials of Jharkhand government and Hemant Soren, who allot mine leases at throwaway prices and in violation of rules to CM, his brother and their aides has finally come under scanner. ED has begun raids against her, and her associates across 20 locations in Ranchi, Delhi, Mumbai, Rajasthan among others.”
