RAJ KUMAR
Ranchi, Dec 1: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has provisionally attached the immovable properties worth Rs. 82.77 Crore belonging to the jailed IAS Pooja Singhal.
The properties include one Super Speciality Hospital namely ‘Pulse Super Speciality Hospital’, one diagnostics centre namely ‘Pulse Diagnostic and Imagining Centre’ and two land parcels.
The development took place after ED had initiated a money laundering investigation based on multiple FIRs registered by the Jharkhand Police and Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB).
The investigation revealed that proceeds of crime (POC) generated from the MNREGA Scam in the form of the commission were deposited in different bank accounts belonging to Singhal and her relatives. The said POC was mixed and layered with the other unaccounted money generated by Singhal, by misusing her official position.
Initially, POC was generated from the MNREGA scam only, which was subsequently intermixed with other unaccounted funds generated from the corrupt practices Singhal and these funds were deployed as capital/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 source of income and the source of funds invested in these immovable properties was primarily from the unaccounted cash profits generated from these POC and therefore termed as Proceeds of Crime.
Singhal was arrested by ED on 11.05.22 and Prosecution Complaint was filed against her on 05.07.22. The evidence about the above corrupt practice has already been shared with the Government of Jharkhand under section 66 (2) of PMLA for considering taking action under the Prevention of Corruption Act against Singhal and others.
In this case, all three arrested persons including Singhal are presently in judicial custody. Three Prosecution complaints have been filed in this case and cognizance of all of these complaints has been taken by the Hon’ble Special PMLA Court. Further investigation is going on.
