Amid money-laundering probe linked to alleged embezzlement of MGNREGA funds in Khunti and other charges, officials said today that Jharkhand mining secretary Pooja Singhal was arrested by the ED. The IAS officer was arrested after two consecutive days of grilling by the federal agency.
The ED has taken the 2000-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer in its custody. She’s been charged under the relevant sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Singhal, as per sources, was “evasive” in her replies and hence was arrested. She will be produced before a local court by the ED to seek her remand.
Earlier, for the second day of questioning, Singhal had arrived around 10.30 AM at the probe agency’s regional office in the Hinoo area of Ranchi.
On Tuesday, she was at the agency’s office for 9 hours and her statement was recorded.
The ED, in Jharkhand and a few other states, had conducted raids against the bureaucrat, her businessman husband Abhishek Jha and others on May 6.
On May 7, Chartered Accountant Suman Kumar was arrested in this case.
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