4 more days of ED custody for Pooja Singhal
THE AGENCY ON SUNDAY HAD ALSO QUESTIONED THE FORMER TREASURER OF THE RULING JMM, RAVI KEJRIWAL, ONCE CONSIDERED CLOSE TO THE FAMILY OF JMM PATRIARCH SHIBU SOREN
RANCHI: Suspended IAS officer of Jharkhand, Pooja Singhal, and chartered accountant Suman Kumar would remain in the custody of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for at least another four days as a special court in Ranchi extended their remand by four days on Monday.
Both Singhal and Suman have been in ED custody following their arrest, on May 11 and May 7 respectively, in connection with a money laundering case linked to alleged embezzlement of MGNREGA funds in the state’s Khunti district.
However, the federal agency has widened the scope of its probe into the functioning of a few officials in the mines department, headed by chief minister Hemant Soren, where Singhal was the secretary at the time of her arrest.
ED also questioned former JMM treasurer Ravi Kejriwal on Sunday in connection with the case.
“Remand of the two accused in custody was ending today, so the agency produced them today before the special PMLA (Prevention of Money Laundering Act) court. We moved separate applications for Singhal and Suman Kumar. We prayed for extension of remand of Singhal by nine days and additional remand of five days for Suman Kumar. The court has granted extension of remand of both by four days,” said BMP Singh, special public prosecutor, Enforcement Directorate.
On the grounds for seeking extension of remand, Singh said the agency has to investigate and verify additional “digital information” they have come across.
ED officials on Monday also questioned at least three of the four district mining officers (DMOs), who have been summoned by the agency to join the probe. Sources said DMO of Dumka, Pakur and Palamu were questioned by ED, while Sahebganj DMO has sought permission to appear the agency on a later date.
The agency on Sunday had also questioned the former treasurer of the ruling JMM, Ravi Kejriwal, at its zonal office here in connection with the case.
Kejriwal, once considered close to the family of JMM patriarch Shibu Soren, was sacked by the party soon after forming the government was formed in 2019 for being involved in anti-party activities.
In October 2021, JMM legislator Ramdas Soren had filed an FIR against Kejriwal, alleging he was conspiring to topple the government in collusion with the BJP.
Reacting to the questioning of its former treasurers and other mining officials, JMM principal general secretary Supriyo Bhattacharya said, “We have nothing to do with it. Ravi Kejriwal is no more with the party.”
BJP legislature party leader Babulal Marandi, however, took a swipe at the government.
“Gradually, all involved in corruption and loot of the state would be exposed. We have nothing to say about the investigation. But we have recently seen how people (JMM leaders) reacted after this entire probe stated. Action was taken against officials, but someone else was feeling the pinch,” said Marandi.