ED arrests CA linked to Jharkhand IAS officer in money laundering case

New Delhi/Ranchi, May 07: The ED on Saturday arrested a chartered accountant under the anti-money laundering law in a case linked to alleged embezzlement of MGNREGA funds in Jharkhand's Khunti district as part of which state mining secretary and IAS officer Pooja Singhal and others were raided, officials said.

CA Suman Kumar was taken into custody under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) around 5 pm in Ranchi and he would be produced before a local court where the Enforcement Directorate would seek his further custody, they said.

Officials alleged that the CA was "evasive in his replies" with regard to the alleged recovery of cash to the tune of Rs 17.79 crore from his premises in Ranchi after the agency conducted raids in this case.

The ED has alleged that Kumar, also a financial advisor, has links with IAS officer Pooja Singhal and her family.

The federal agency seized a total of Rs 19.31 crore in cash after these raids and it also recorded the preliminary statement of Singhal during the searches.