RANCHI: The Enforcement Directorate said on Thursday that it has attached properties worth Rs 88.77 crore located in Ranchi belonging to suspended IAS officer Pooja Singhal arrested in a money laundering case involving MGNREGA funds.
The ED arrested the 2000-batch IAS officer on May 11 after over 15-hour interrogation and booked them under various sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. A super-speciality hospital, a diagnostic centre and two land parcels worth Rs 82.77 crore “belonging” to the jailed IAS officer were attached, the ED said. According to ED, it initiated a money laundering probe on the basis of FIRs registered by the Jharkhand police and State Vigilance Bureau.
Investigation revealed that proceeds of crime generated from the MNREGA scam in the form of the commission were deposited in various bank accounts belonging to Pooja Singhal and her relatives, ED said. The agency said the said proceeds of crime were layered with the other unaccounted money generated by Singhal after misusing her official position.
The ED also revealed that Singhal invested in immovable properties from unaccounted cash profits. She is currently in judicial custody. The ED said Singhal purchased 13 insurance policies by paying a premium of Rs 80.81 lakh and closed them before the completion of their tenure and got Rs 84.64 lakh against it.