Money laundering case: SC rejects bail plea of suspended Jharkhand cadre IAS officer
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a plea of suspended Jharkhand cadre IAS officer Puja Singhal seeking bail in a money laundering matter, observing it is an "extraordinary case".
A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta refused to interfere with the Jharkhand High Court order denying her bail.
The top court noted that out of 17 prosecution witnesses, 12 have been examined by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and hoped that the trial in the case is concluded expeditiously.
"You wait for some more time for bail. This is not a normal matter but an extraordinary case. There is something seriously wrong in this case. We are not inclined to entertain the instant petition. We hope the trial will be concluded expeditiously," it observed.
The bench, however, gave liberty to Singhal to revive her bail plea, if the trial is prolonged or is there any other change in circumstance.
Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, appearing for the ED, opposed the bail plea and said that out of the total custody period, she has spent most of the time in a hospital at Ranchi.
On February 10, 2023, the top court had granted Singhal interim bail for two months to enable her to take care of her ailing daughter.
Singhal has been in custody since May 11, 2022 after raids were conducted at properties linked to her in connection with the money laundering case.
The case relates to alleged corruption in the implementation of MGNREGA, the Centre's flagship scheme for rural employment.
The ED has accused Singhal, a former state mines department secretary, of money laundering and said its team seized more than Rs 36 crore cash linked to alleged illegal mining as part of two separate money laundering investigations.
Apart from the 2000 batch IAS officer, her businessman husband, a chartered accountant associated with the couple, and others were also raided by the ED as part of the money laundering probe.
Singhal was suspended following her arrest.
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Sahebaan Welfare Trust launches membership induction drive in UAE
Dubai (Press Release): Sahebaan Welfare Trust (SWT) Mangalore launched its membership induction drive recently at the premises of Northern Insurance Company on Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
The launching ceremony happened in the presence of trustees and members of the trust in UAE, including Nasir Syed, Mateen Ahmed Chilmi, Yunus Sheikh, Nisar Khan, Ajmal Syed, and Althaf Khalife.
As part of the induction drive, SWT unveiled its brochure, signaling the expansion of its membership outreach not only in India but also in the UAE and other countries.
Established in December 2023, SWT is dedicated to addressing the welfare needs of the Sahebaan community, predominantly Urdu-speaking individuals hailing from the DK and Udupi districts. Moreover, SWT aims to bridge the gap in representation for returning Sahebaan NRIs in India.
Embodying principles of peace and harmony, SWT adheres to a stringent group membership policy while respecting the laws of the respective countries.
During the ceremony, Syed Siraj Ahmed, General Secretary of SWT, provided insights into the organization's objectives, past achievements, and forthcoming plans. These include a series of bi-monthly welfare talks covering education, health, taxation, NRI investments in India, and active participation in governmental initiatives such as Swachh Bharat Abhiyan and traffic awareness campaigns, alongside fostering interfaith harmony.
Afroz Assadi, President of SWT, extended a warm welcome to all attendees, expressing gratitude for their presence and spoke on the importance of continued support and cooperation to realize the objectives set forth by SWT. The constructive and beneficial role of SWT Ladies Wing was noted and appreciated during the meeting.
Faizaan Khatib, Lead of the SWT Youth Wing was also present.
