IAS Pooja Singhal case: Enforcement Directorate conducts raids at six locations in Jharkhand, Bihar

IAS Pooka Singhal, 44, was arrested by the ED early this month in a money-laundering investigation linked to alleged embezzlement of MNREGA funds in Jharkhand`s Khunti district and other financial irregularities.

New Delhi/Ranchi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday conducted raids at around seven locations in Jharkhand and Bihar in connection with its money laundering probe involving arrested IAS officer Pooja Singhal and others. The action is being carried out under criminal sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, they said.

Singhal, 44, was arrested by the ED early this month in a money-laundering investigation linked to alleged embezzlement of MNREGA funds in Jharkhand's Khunti district and other financial irregularities.

The 2000 batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer was later suspended by the state government and she is currently in the custody of the federal probe agency. 

The probe agency has also scanned the last three years' transactions done by Singhal to check for any suspicious money trail. It has also scanned all her properties. The ED also recently grilled Ravi Kejriwal, the former Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) Treasurer.

The central probe agency has recovered cash worth around Rs 19 crore when they conducted the raids. It is said that it was Singhal`s money. The probe agency has recorded the statements of Singhal and her husband in the matter.