PMLA Court Rejects ED's Plea Against IAS Officer Pooja Singhal's Posting

The PMLA court in Ranchi dismissed the Enforcement Directorate's request to prevent IAS officer Pooja Singhal from holding government office. The court ruled it was beyond its jurisdiction. Singhal, previously arrested for alleged money laundering tied to MGNREGA, has since been appointed as Secretary of IT and CEO of Jharkhand Communication Network Limited.

The PMLA court in Ranchi on Friday dismissed the Enforcement Directorate's request to stop IAS officer Pooja Singhal from obtaining a government position, an advocate confirmed.

On Monday, after hearing both sides' arguments, the court stated that restricting the state's ability to assign a post to Singhal was beyond its jurisdiction. This decision came after Singhal's suspension was lifted on January 21, following her bail on December 7, 2024.

Singhal's arrest by the ED on May 11, 2022, stemmed from allegations of money laundering linked to corruption in the MGNREGA scheme. The recent IAS reshuffle resulted in Singhal being appointed as Secretary of Information Technology and CEO of Jharkhand Communication Network Limited.

(With inputs from agencies.)