Tag: jharkhand cm hemnat soren

IAS Pooja Singhal, who is in charge of the mining department of the Jharkhand government, has been summoned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money laundering case, officials told India Today TV.

Singhal has been summoned to the ED’s Ranchi office for questioning on Tuesday, May 10. The Election Commission (EC) recently served Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren with a notice for allegedly granting himself a mining licence.

Singhal’s husband, Abhishek Jha, has been questioned by the ED on Sunday and Monday. The ED had raided the official and residential premises of Pooja Singhal on Friday in connection with a corruption case in the state.

The officials had recovered Rs 17.49 crore in cash from the premises of Singhal’s chartered accountant (CA), Suman Kumar, who is now in their custody.

According to the Enforcement Directorate, IAS Pooja Singhal and her husband received cash deposits totaling Rs 1.43 crore when she was charged with irregularities while serving as District Magistrate (DM) in various districts across the state.

The ED also informed a Ranchi special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court that the IAS officer spent the money on life insurance policies. The ED alleged that certain suspicious transactions were made between the IAS officer, her CA, and certain companies.

The ED is also looking into whether Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren granted himself a mining lease. Pooja Singhal is the mining and geology secretary for the state of Jharkhand.

An ED officer had said that incriminating documents were also seized from the IAS officer’s home during the searches. Meanwhile, the Election Commission recently served Hemant Soren with a notice seeking clarification on his stance on the mining licence controversy.

READ | J’khand: ED takes IAS Pooja Singhal’s CA on remand for 5 days in money laundering case