Ranchi: In the ongoing legal proceedings related to suspended IAS officer Pooja Singhal, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) recorded crucial testimony in the court of ED Special Judge PK Sharma on Wednesday. The witness, Abhay Nandan Ambastha, who served as the Nazarat DC of Khunti district during Pooja Singhal’s tenure as the DC, provided information regarding the MNREGA scam.
The witness revealed that a portion of the commission received from the advance payment in the development works scheme reached Pooja Singhal. Following the completion of the testimony, the defense initiated cross-examination, which could not be concluded. Consequently, the court has scheduled December 11 as the next hearing date.
During the proceedings, Pooja Singhal and other accused, currently in jail, were presented through video conferencing. Pooja Singhal has been in custody since May 25, 2022. The ED has presented six witnesses so far, including the manager of Shriram Transport Company, Pulsebuilding contractor Akshat Katiyar, Gautam Rai, Sujit Kumar, and builder Alok Saraogi (Panchavati), in connection with Pooja Singhal’s case.
In this money laundering case, Pooja Singhal, along with dismissed junior engineer Ram Binod Prasad Sinha and executive engineer Shashiprakash, is facing trial in jail. Meanwhile, Pooja’s husband Abhishek Jha has secured anticipatory relief, and CA Suman Kumar has obtained bail from the Supreme Court. The legal proceedings continue as the investigation unfolds further.
