Babulal Marandi attacks Soren government over revocation of IAS officer Pooja Singhal’s suspension 

Jharkhand BJP state unit chief Babulal Marandi has lambasted the Hemant Soren government for revoking the suspension of IAS officer Pooja Singhal. 

She was in jail for over two years in a money laundering case. After she got bail, the order of her suspension was revoked. 

The BJP leader Marandi said a peculiar situation is prevalent in Jharkhand where rules and principles of bureaucracy are flouted for vested interests. Using the social media platform X, Marandi noted that the system of bureaucracy functions on ‘Reward and Punishment’. 

But in this state, corrupt officers were awarded and honest officers were punished.” Marandi was speaking about Singhal who was suspended on May 12, 2022, a day after her arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). 

The case relates to alleged corruption in implementing MGNREGA, the Centre's flagship scheme for rural employment. 

The suspension of IAS officer Pooja Singhal, who was in jail for over two years in a money laundering case, was revoked after she secured bail, an official of the Jharkhand government said on Wednesday. 

In light of the recommendations by the Suspension Review Committee after due consideration, Singhal was suspended on May 12, 2022, a day after her arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). 

The case relates to alleged corruption in implementing MGNREGA, the Centre's flagship scheme for rural employment. 

After being relieved from suspension, Singhal will contribute to the Department of Personnel, Administrative Reform,s and Raj Bhasa, it stated. The ED had accused Singhal, a former secretary in the state Mines Department, of money laundering. A special court granted her bail on December 7 last year.

Marandi and several other BJP leaders were critical of the Soren government for revoking her suspension and ordering her to report to the state Personnel department at the state secretariat.