Suspended Jharkhand IAS Officer Gets Bail In Money Laundering Case

A special PMLA court here on Saturday granted bail to suspended Jharkhand cadre IAS officer Pooja Singhal in a money laundering case.

She was given bail on the condition of furnishing two bonds of Rs 2 lakh each and depositing her passport.

Ms Singhal's lawyer said that she was granted bail after the court heard her bail petition for two days.

Ms Singhal has been in custody since May 11, 2022, after raids were conducted at properties linked to her in connection with the money laundering case.

The case relates to alleged corruption in implementing MGNREGA, the Centre's flagship scheme for rural employment.

The ED has accused Ms Singhal, a former state mines department secretary, of money laundering. The agency also seized over Rs 36 crore in cash linked to alleged illegal mining in two money laundering cases.

On February 10, 2023, the Supreme Court granted Ms Singhal interim bail for two months to enable her to take care of her ailing daughter.

Apart from the 2000 batch IAS officer, premises linked to her businessman husband, a chartered accountant associated with the couple, and others were also raided by the ED as part of the probe.

Ms Singhal was suspended following her arrest.