The suspension of Pooja Singhal, a senior IAS officer from Jharkhand, who was recently released from jail after 28 months in custody, may soon be lifted. The Jharkhand Government is exploring legal options to revoke her suspension. Legal experts are being consulted on the matter, and once their opinion is received, the suspension will be formally ended. This will allow Pooja Singhal to resume her duties and potentially be assigned significant responsibilities.
Pooja Singhal was released on the 7th Dec, 2024 under the BNS Act, is still facing charges in an ongoing money laundering case. The court granted her bail under provisions related to prolonged judicial custody, after reviewing reports from the Birsa Munda Central Jail regarding her time in detention. Singhal’s legal counsel had argued that she was entitled to bail as her time in judicial custody exceeded one-third of the maximum possible sentence for the charges she faces. However, according to legal provisions, her suspension can be lifted while she remains out of jail. Singhal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in May 2022 for her involvement in the MGNREGA scam. Prior to her arrest, the ED had raided 25 locations connected to her, leading to the discovery of unaccounted money and other investments. During the raid, the ED recovered Rs. 19.31 crore in cash from the residence and office of Singhal’s chartered accountant, Suman Singh.
The ED had conducted several raids on properties linked to her and had seized over Rs. 36 Crores in cash related to illegal mining operations. In addition to Singhal, her husband, a businessman, and a chartered accountant associated with them were also under investigation in connection with the money laundering case.
Who is Pooja Singhal?
Pooja Singhal is a senior IAS officer from Jharkhand who was suspended following her arrest. Before her suspension, she held key positions as Secretary of Industries and Mines, and was also the Chairperson of the Jharkhand State Mineral Development Corporation (JSMDC). Previously, she had served as the Secretary of Agriculture during the tenure of the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) Government. Singhal was also the Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Khunti at the time the MGNREGA scam was uncovered.
Allegations Against Pooja Singhal
On 6th May 2022, the ED raided 20 locations connected to Pooja Singhal and her associates. Several documents and important records were recovered from her residence. The ED’s investigation is focused on the MGNREGA scam as well as other controversial cases linked to her tenure in various districts.
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