Ranchi, Feb 19 (IANS) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested Pramod Kumar Singh, a resident of Dhanbad, in connection with the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) scam in Jharkhand, which took place nearly 13 years ago.
The scam involves the alleged misappropriation of funds meant for the development of primary healthcare infrastructure in the state.
Singh, who earlier worked as an account manager in NRHM on a contractual basis, has since amassed substantial wealth, mainly through his coal business.
Despite receiving 12 summonses from the ED’s zonal office in Ranchi, he failed to appear for questioning, which led to his arrest from Dhanbad.
The ED presented Singh before a PMLA court in Ranchi and sought a seven-day remand for interrogation. However, the court granted only three days custody.
The Jharkhand Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) had earlier registered an FIR against 10 persons, including Pramod Kumar Singh, for allegedly embezzling Rs 6.97 crore allocated in the financial year 2011-12 for a Primary Health Centre (PHC) under the NRHM. Singh is believed to be the principal architect of the financial fraud, accused of diverting funds meant for healthcare directly into his own bank accounts.
ED investigations revealed that Singh not only transferred funds from 10 different PHC accounts into his own but also funnelled money into the bank account of his wife, Priya Singh.
Following the exposure of the scam, he was dismissed from his NRHM position.
The ED launched its probe into the case in 2023. During raids conducted in July and August 2024 at various locations linked to Singh and other accused persons, officials recovered crucial documents and cash worth Rs 2.17 lakh.
In September 2024, the ED also seized assets valued at Rs 1.63 crore, which were linked to Singh and his family.
ED investigation has disclosed that Singh, along with another accused, Shashi Bhushan Prasad (now deceased), exploited their official positions to fraudulently withdraw Rs 9.39 crore from NRHM funds.
–IANS
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