Money laundering case: Arrested J'khand Mining Secy WhatsApp chats reveal investments in crores

Sources said that the WhatsApp conversations from Singhal's phone revealed that a huge amount was paid to Saraogi Builders and Promoters Limited for the purchase of Pulse Hospital land. The hospital is owned by Singhal's husband. The ED is collecting information as to how much was paid by cheque, RTGS or cash to Saraogi Builders.

Ranchi: The Enforcement Directorate, which arrested Jharkhand Mining Secretary Pooja Singhal in a money laundering case on Wednesday, uncovered huge investments by Singhal and her husband Abhishek Jha on a private hospital with the embezzled MGNREGA funds on the basis of her WhatsaApp chats, sources said. Singhal has been taken on remand for five days by the ED.

Sources said that the WhatsApp conversations from Singhal's phone revealed that a huge amount was paid to Saraogi Builders and Promoters Limited for the purchase of Pulse Hospital land. The hospital is owned by Singhal's husband. The ED is collecting information as to how much was paid by cheque, RTGS or cash to Saraogi Builders.

Besides, SFG Private Limited was also given a huge amount. The ED has found through the conversations that a CSSD machine was purchased by Jha from Kolkata for which a fake bill was generated, sources said. According to ED sources, Singhal and Jha had transferred money to the accounts of many during the construction of the hospital.

Those to whom the money was sent include the names of Pooja Singhal's brother Siddharth Singhal, Satendra, Subodh Yadav, Subodh Sinha, Sudhanshu Singh, Amit Jain, Vijay Goel, Ajay Katyal, Sandeep Suman, Abhinandan, Sonu, Arun and Akshat Katyal. The ED will interrogate all of them by sending separate summons. According to ED sources, the statement of the contractor, STP boundary wall contractor, interior designer, architect and others, including those who built the Pulse Hospital, will also be recorded so that a detailed report can be prepared on the entire expenditure incurred on the hospital.

It is said that Pooja Singhal herself had paid for the purchase of many other items, including tiles for the hospital. This payment has been made on July 10, 2020. The ED has confiscated Singhal's phone as evidence. Jharkhand mining secretary Pooja Singhal was arrested by the ED on Wednesday after two consecutive days of grilling in a money-laundering probe linked to alleged embezzlement of MGNREGA funds in Khunti and other charges, officials said. The 2000-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer has been taken into ED custody under the relevant Sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).