On August 18, 2023, the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) arrested Mannu Singh for violating the Money Laundering Law of 2002 in connection with the Kotak Mahindra Bank scam.
The ED launched an investigation based on an FIR filed by Gandhi Maidan P.S. Patna under various sections of the IPC, 1860 and a subsequent charge sheet that claimed fraudulent transactions totalling Rs. 31.93 Crore from the bank account of the Competent Authority for Land Acquisition (CALA) cum District Land Acquisition Officer (DLAO) were carried out and funds were syphoned off using bank accounts of various shells/dummy entities, causing significant loss to the government exchequer.
During an inquiry by the ED, Shashikant Kumar, one of his close colleagues, and Sumit Kumar, the bank manager of the Kotak Mahindra Bank’s Boring Road branch in Patna, were both detained. Further investigation by the ED showed that Mannu Singh was actively involved in stealing public funds from the bank accounts of CALA and DLAO held at the Kotak Mahindra Bank, Exhibition Road Branch, Patna, and redirecting them to other fictitious or shell companies.
According to an investigation by the ED, funds totalling Rs. 3.05 crore were debited in 4 transactions from the accounts of CALA CUM DLAO PATNA and PD NHAI PIU and credited to the bank accounts managed by Mannu Singh. These funds were then transferred to the accounts used by the accused after Singh kept his commission.
On August 18, 2023, Mannu Singh was brought before the Hon’ble Special PMLA Court in Patna. He was placed in judicial custody until August 21, 2023, at which point the Hon’ble PMLA Court, by order dated August 21, 2023, remanded him to ED custody for six days. Further research is now being conducted.
