Jharkhand: ED attaches assets worth ₹82.77 crore belonging to IAS officer Pooja Singhal

 Jharkhand: ED attaches assets worth ₹82.77 crore belonging to IAS officer Pooja Singhal

Investigation revealed that the proceeds of crime arising out of the MGNREGA scam were deposited in various bank accounts of Pooja Singhal and her relatives in the form of commission

New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached immovable assets worth ₹82.77 crore belonging to jailed Jharkhand IAS officer Pooja Singhal in a money laundering case, the central agency announced in a statement.

The properties include a super specialty hospital, 'Pulse Super Specialty Hospital', a diagnostic center 'Pulse Diagnostic and Imaging Centre' and two land parcels in Ranchi.

The ED had launched the probe following several FIRs lodged by the Jharkhand Police and the State Vigilance Bureau.

Investigation revealed that commission on crimes (POCs) arising out of the MGNREGA scam were deposited in various bank accounts of Pooja Singhal and her relatives. They were mixed and layered with other unaccounted money generated by Pooja Singhal by abusing her official position.

Initially, POC was generated only from MGNREGA scam, which was later merged with other unaccounted money generated from corrupt practices of Pooja Singhal and these funds were earmarked as capital/investment and further funds were diverted to these funds. was generated from, both as legitimate gains as well as by further infusion of POC.

By this modus operandi, Pooja Singhal acquired assets disproportionate to her known source of income and the source of the money invested in these immovable properties was primarily from the unaccounted cash profits generated from these POCs and hence are said to be proceeds of crime Is.

Pooja Singhal was arrested by the ED on May 11 and a prosecution complaint was filed against her on July 5. The evidence of the above corrupt practices has already been shared with the Government of Jharkhand under Section 66(2) of the PMLA for considering action against Pooja Singhal and others under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

All the three arrested persons including Pooja Singhal are currently in judicial custody. Three complaints of the prosecution have been registered in this case and cognizance of all these complaints has been taken by a special PMLA court.