The 2000-batch IAS officer has been arrested for money laundering and shady deal
Law Kumar Mishra
Ranchi, May 11
Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer and Jharkhand’s mining secretary Pooja Singhal has been remanded to Enforcement Directorate (ED) custody for five days.
The 2000-batch IAS officer was arrested by the ED Wednesday evening after two days of questioning.
The ED produced her before the special PMLA magistrate, Prabhat Kumar Sharma at his residence. The ED had sought a week remand but the court granted five days to further question IAS Pooja Singhal. The officials said that she was withholding much crucial information which was very important for investigation.
She has been charged for money laundering and serious financial irregularities committed in the execution of MNREGA project in Khunti during her tenure as deputy commissioner (DC).
The economic intelligence agency has arrested her second husband Abhisekh Jha, who owns a super-speciality hospital Pulse. While the IAS officer was arrested at 4.30 pm, an hour later her husband was summoned and arrested.
According to ED officials, she had been placed under arrest under the provisions of the Prevention of the Money Laundering Act. She will be produced before the PMLA court after required paperwork is completed, they said, adding that a team of doctors from Sadar hospital had visited the ED office to complete the medical check-up formalities.
Sources said the ED officials bombarded her with questions related to her financial transactions during her earlier tenures. She served as DC of Chatra from August 16, 2007 to September 16, Khunti (16/02/2009 to 19/07/2010) and Palamu (19/07/2010 to 08/06/2013).
During the period her bank account as well as that of her husband had inflated and unusual cash deposits. It ran to the tune of Rs.1.43 crore that was above her known source of income. The IAS officer could not explain the source.
The IAS officer has purchased 13 life insurance policies between the financial year 2005-06 and 2012-13. She paid a premium of Rs 80.81 lakh. The policies were closed prematurely. An amount of Rs 84.64 lakh was received, of which Rs 3.96 lakh was transferred from her account to Chartered Accountant Suman Kumar, another accused in the case.
Sources said that Suman Singh had revealed vital information during interrogation that left the IAS officer defensive.
