Ranchi2 hours ago
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached the assets worth Rs 82.77 crore of suspended senior IAS officer Pooja Singhal of Jharkhand. It comprises of Pulse Super Specialty Hospital, a Diagnostic Center and two plots. This is a major action by the ED against Pooja Singhal, who is involved in the MNREGA scam and money laundering.
The ED had already indicated to attach the assets. The ED was preparing a list of properties in which the scam money was invested. The MNREGA scam of Rs 18.06 crore dates back to the period when Pooja Singhal was holding the post of Deputy Commissioner in Khunti district. The ED questioned Pooja Singhal over her investment in Pulse Super Specialty Hospital. ED had asked him how much money you have invested in this hospital. All the documents in this regard were also being scrutinised.
On May 5, ED raided the premises of IAS officer Pooja Singhal. After this he was called for questioning.
ED is preparing to attach the property of other accused
After Pooja Singhal, preparations are on to attach the property of other accused as well. On May 5, the ED raided several locations of Pooja Singhal. During this, ED recovered 19.31 crore cash, after which Pooja Singhal was questioned. He was arrested after questioning.
The ED had filed a complaint against Puja’s husband Abhishek Kumar Jha, chartered accountant Suman Kumar Singh, besides Khunti district engineers and officers Ram Binod Prasad Sinha, Jai Kishore Chowdhary, Shashi Prakash and Rajendra Kumar Jain. In this case, the property of other accused will also be attached by the ED.
The ED had recovered Rs 19.31 crore in cash from close aides of Pooja Singhal.
Made fake bill five times
Several illegal steps were taken to show investment and business in the hospital. CA Suman Singh has confessed before the ED that he had given cash amount of Rs 10 lakh several times at the cash counter of Pulse Hospital by making fake bills four to five times to inflate the receipt of the hospital. Basically this was done by Pooja Singhal to adjust the wrong earnings to Pulse Hospital and to show the profit earned from the hospital as unblemished.
Pooja Singhal returned to jail again
Pooja Singhal was undergoing treatment in the paying ward of RIMS for almost a month citing her ill health. After his health report came, he was found fit. Based on the report of the RIMS Medical Board, exactly two months later, he has been sent to jail again. In the review report of the Medical Board, the doctors told that she does not need to stay in the hospital for treatment, she can take medicines even while in jail. Pooja Singhal had also appealed for bail on medical grounds which was rejected.
After the ED raid, the state government suspended Pooja Singhal. He is still in jail.
what is the charge
Pooja Singhal has several serious cases of embezzlement and money laundering registered against her. In the first week of May this year, the ED had raided a total of 25 locations in five states belonging to IAS officer Pooja Singhal, her husband Abhishek Jha, brother, husband’s CA Suman Kumar, among others, on charges of money laundering. On 11 May 2022, Pooja Singhal was arrested by the ED. Since then the case is going on in the PMLA (Prevention of Money Laundering Act) special court.
News related to raid on Pooja Singhal…
19.31 crore cash received from Jharkhand’s IAS: ED raids 25 places including Pooja Singhal’s Ranchi, action in illegal mining case
Pooja Singhal with her husband Abhishek Jha.
In the illegal mining case, the ED has conducted raids across the country at around 5 am on Friday. This action has been taken at 25 locations of Jharkhand’s senior IAS officer Pooja Singhal and people close to power associated with her. Rs 19.31 crore was seized from the house of a CA close to the officer. Late night the security personnel packed it in several boxes and took it to buses.Click here to read full news