Law Kumar Mishra
Ranchi, May 7
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) that raided several premises of senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of Jharkhand cadre Pooja Singhal in several states on Friday morning had collected enough evidence.
The raids were carried out in around 25 places related to Jharkhand’s Mines and Industries Department Secretary Pooja Singhal and her close associates. During the raid, the agency has found documents related to investment of about Rs 150 crore by the 2000-batch IAS officer and her close associates.
Though ED officials have not issued any official statement so far, sources said even during the raids in Pulse Hospital owned by Pooja’s husband Abhishekh, documents related to investment were seized. During the investigation and the documents recovered, the suspicious role of a few bureaucrats and white collars of Jharkhand cadre has come to the fore, sources said, adding that they could also be quizzed.
Pooja Singhal was also in the lens for alleged serious irregularities in the execution of MGNREGA schemes and allocation of mines.
On Friday, Pawan Singh, brother of Pooja Singhal’s CA Suman Singh, was taken into custody. A whopping Rs 19 crore in cash was also recovered from his residence. After interrogating Pawan, the ED detained Suman Singh on Saturday morning.
There are four flats in Suman’s Hanuman Nagar apartment Sonali- Monica. The brothers are interrogated in one of the apartments by the ED team.
On the other hand, the raids on the premises of the IAS officer continued for the second day on Saturday. The team again raided Pulse Hospital on Bariatu Road, Ranchi.
Sources said ED was minutely examining the documents seized and had even taken help from the finance department. During verification of documents, tip off has been received about investment by Pooja Singhal in a hospital in Maharashtra.
According to officials, ED may soon send summons for questioning of Pooja Singhal.
