ED arrests Jharkhand mining secretary Pooja Singhal in money laundering case

Ranchi: Jharkhand mining secretary Pooja Singhal was arrested by the ED on Wednesday after two consecutive days of grilling in a money-laundering probe linked to alleged embezzlement of MGNREGA funds in Khunti and other charges, officials said.

The 2000-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer has been taken into ED custody under the relevant sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Sources claimed that Singhal was ”evasive” in her replies and hence was arrested. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) will produce her before a local court here seeking her remand.

She had arrived at the probe agency’s regional office in the Hinoo area of Ranchi around 10:40 am for the second day of questioning.

Singhal was at the ED office for about nine hours on Tuesday and her statement was recorded.

The ED had conducted raids against the bureaucrat, her businessman husband Abhishek Jha and others on May 6 in Jharkhand and a few other locations.

Chartered Accountant Suman Kumar was arrested in this case on May 7.