LAGATAR24 NETWORK
Ranchi, March 21: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is set to file an affidavit before the Supreme Court to counter any attempt of IAS Pooja Singhal to secure another extension of provisional bail in MNREGA scam case. The matter was listed for hearing before the Supreme Court on Tuesday which now has been deferred till April 6.
The ED arrested the then mining secretary now suspended, Pooja Singhal in May last year in connection with MNREGA scam in Khunti district. She approached the Supreme Court after Jharkhand High Court rejected her bail petition. The Supreme Court granted provisional bail for a period of one month treatment of her daughter while imposing certain terms and conditions.
In February the Supreme Court further extended her provisional bail for a period of two months on the same ground.
Now as the matter has come for hearing and Pooja Singhal may seek an extension of provisional bail or to request permanent bail, the ED has decided to file an affidavit. It is likely for the agency to protest her petition for extension of relief.
Earlier, the Ranchi PMLA court and then Jharkhand High Court had rejected her bail petition. The Jharkhand High Court in its order had stated that owing to the enormity of the crime bail can’t be granted to her. The ED had submitted before the high court that she had even tried to get a fake medical report to get bail.
Notably, the ED has charged her for committing a scam worth Rs.18.06 Crore in the execution of the MGNREGA project in Khunti district where she was the DC during the period 16th February 2009 to 19th July 2010. She was the principal authority for sanctioning funds for different development projects. The ED claimed that she invested the proceeds of crime in the construction of Pulse Super Speciality Hospital owned by her husband. Pooja Singhal was arrested after the ED raided her premises as well as her chartered accountant Suman Kumar Singh and recovered Rs. 19.76 Crores (approx) from premises of Suman Kumar Singh.
