In a case related to two IAS officers in Telangana, the Supreme Court noted that Section 197(1) of the CrPC is intended to protect public servants from prosecution for actions carried out as part of their official duties. In Pooja Singhal’s case, a prosecution sanction was initially deemed unnecessary, as the alleged siphoning of public funds does not qualify as an official duty. However, the ED is said to have taken this step to eliminate any legal loopholes and strengthen its case in the Special Court. Notably, Singhal, who was arrested by the ED on May 22, 2022, was granted bail under the revised legal framework, which allows bail for accused individuals whose judicial custody has equaled or exceeded one-third of the maximum sentence in their case. A 2000-batch IAS officer, Singhal was arrested for allegedly embezzling crores of MGNREGA funds in Khunti. Singhal, after remaining in jail for 28 months, was granted bail by a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) Court in Ranchi on December 7, 2024. Following her release on bail, the state government revoked her suspension and reinstated her with effect from December 7, 2024. She has since rejoined the Department of Personnel and is awaiting a new posting.
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