Other side of an IAS: ED attaches properties worth Rs 82.77 cr of suspended IAS officer Pooja Singhal
New Delhi, Dec 1 : The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday said it has attached immovable properties worth Rs 82.77 crore belonging to Pooja Singhal, a suspended IAS officer in Ranchi, Jharkhand.
The properties include ‘Pulse Super Speciality Hospital’, one diagnostics centre, ‘Pulse Diagnostic and Imagining Centre’ and two land parcels in Ranchi.
The ED had initiated a money laundering investigation on the basis of multiple FIRs registered by the Jharkhand police and Vigilance Bureau Jharkhand.
“Investigation revealed that Proceeds of Crime generated from the MNREGA scam in form of commission was deposited in different bank accounts belonging to Pooja Singhal and her relatives. The said POC was mixed and layered with the other unaccounted money generated by Singhal, by misusing her official position,” the ED has claimed.
The ED has said that initially the POC was generated from the MNREGA scam only, which was subsequently intermixed with other unaccounted funds generated from the corrupt practices of Pooja Singhal. These funds were layered as investment and further funds were generated from these funds, both as legitimate profit as well as by further infusion of POC.
“By this modus-operandi, Singhal amassed huge wealth disproportionate to her known sources of income and source of funds invested in these immovable properties were primarily from the unaccounted cash profits generated from these POC and therefore termed as POC,” the ED has alleged.
Singhal was arrested by the ED on May 11, 2022 and a prosecution complaint was filed against her on July 5. The evidence about the corrupt practices has been shared with the Jharkhand government under section 66 (2) of the PMLA for considering taking action under the Prevention of Corruption Act against Singhal and others.
In this case, all the three arrested persons including Singhal are presently in judicial custody. Three prosecution complaints have been filed in the case.
Further investigation in the matter is on.
