This woman IAS officer gets bail, was suspended, jailed due to...

In a significant development, suspended Jharkhand cadre IAS officer Pooja Singhal has been granted bail by a special court under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The court, on Saturday, approved her bail with specific conditions, including furnishing two surety bonds of ₹2 lakh each and surrendering her passport.

The decision came after two days of deliberations on her bail plea, her legal counsel confirmed.

Singhal, arrested on May 11, 2022, has been under investigation for her alleged involvement in a money laundering case linked to corruption in the implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). The Enforcement Directorate (ED) accused her of misappropriating funds while serving as secretary of the state’s mines department and alleged her connection to over ₹36 crore in cash recovered during raids.

The case extends beyond Singhal herself, with properties linked to her husband, a chartered accountant associated with the couple, and others also coming under scrutiny. The IAS officer was suspended following her arrest.

Earlier in February 2023, the Supreme Court granted Singhal interim bail for two months to attend to her ailing daughter. Her release now marks another legal milestone in the high-profile case, which has drawn considerable public attention.

The court's decision to grant bail has stirred discussions about accountability and corruption among public servants. While Singhal's next legal steps remain uncertain, her case underscores the ongoing challenges of addressing financial irregularities within the administrative framework.