Controversial IAS officer of Jharkhand cadre, Pooja Singhal (IAS:2000:JH), is back in action. She was relieved of suspension on Tuesday after more than two years. She had been suspended and put behind bars after her name came up in the MNREGA scam (MGNREGA). She was arrested and suspended on 11 May 2022 on charges of money laundering. That time she was the Mines Secretary. Pooja walked out of jail last month.
Her suspension was revoked on Tuesday after a committee, headed by the Chief Secretary, recommended it. Pooja has now been instructed to report to the personnel department for duties.
She has served as Secretary of many departments. Before her suspension, she was Industries Secretary, Mines and Geology Department Secretary and Managing Director of Jharkhand State Mineral Development Corporation Limited.
Pooja was a meritorious student all through her academic career. Hailing originally from Dehradun, she had cleared the UPSC examination in the very first attempt in 1999 and became an IAS at the age of just 21 years.
But, unfortunately, her professional career got blemished after her name came up in the MNREGA scam and her house was raided. She was later suspended and arrested on 11 May 2022 in the course of the investigation. Since then, Pooja Singhal was in jail.
Fortunately, Section 479 of the new law BNS (Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita) came to her rescue. Under this Act, an accused that has committed the first offence and has spent one-third of the maximum punishment under that section in jail, is entitled to bail.
