Pran

Her name is Pooja Singhal. She was born in Dehradun in 1978. At 21 she cleared the UPSC Civil Services Examination in her first attempt, securing All India Rank 10. She was among the youngest IAS officers of her batch. Her name was entered in the Limca Book of Records. At her interview, she reportedly pledged she would spend her career working for “the poorest of the poor.” She was posted to the Jharkhand cadre in 2000 as one of the first IAS officers of the newly formed state. She rose steadily through the bureaucracy. By 2022 she had become the Mining Secretary of Jharkhand, one of the most powerful positions in a mineral rich state. On May 6 2022, the Enforcement Directorate raided 18 premises linked to her across Jharkhand, Bihar, West Bengal, Delhi and Punjab. At the Ranchi premises of her chartered accountant Suman Kumar, investigators recovered Rs 17.49 crore in cash. Banknote counting machines were brought in to count it. The total cash recovery across locations was reported at Rs 19.31 crore. Pooja Singhal was arrested on May 11 2022. ED investigators later traced part of the alleged money trail to Khunti district, where she had served as Deputy Commissioner between 2008 and 2011. The ED alleged that Rs 18.06 crore linked to MGNREGA funds had been embezzled during her tenure. MGNREGA is the government scheme that guarantees 100 days of paid work every year to rural households. The poorest of the poor. The ED also alleged that funds linked to the case were invested in a hospital associated with her husband. The agency later provisionally attached immovable properties worth Rs 82.77 crore linked to her in Ranchi. Her bail was rejected by the PMLA court in August 2022. Rejected again by the Jharkhand High Court in November 2022. Rejected by the Supreme Court in April 2024. During proceedings, the Supreme Court described it as an “extraordinary case” and remarked that there was “something seriously wrong.” She spent 28 months in jail. On December 7 2024, a special PMLA court granted her bail. The Jharkhand government revoked her suspension and reinstated her, effective the same date. The ED opposed her reinstatement. The PMLA court rejected the ED’s plea to bar her from a government posting, stating that it was beyond the court’s jurisdiction. The investigation and trial are still ongoing. At 21, she reportedly told the UPSC board she wanted to work for the poorest of the poor. The funds the ED alleges were embezzled were meant for exactly those people. Follow for verified stories India deserves to remember.

People are confused seeing oil companies report profits while headlines also say they are losing nearly ₹1,000 crore a day. Both are true. Oil companies do not sell the crude they buy today on the same day. They refine and sell inventory purchased weeks earlier when crude prices were significantly lower. So the current quarterly profit reflects: • cheaper crude bought earlier •⁠ ⁠refining gains •⁠ ⁠inventory value appreciation But today’s reality is different. Current crude prices have crossed $100/barrel due to the ongoing global energy shock and Strait of Hormuz disruption. Petrol and diesel prices in India are still relatively controlled, meaning companies are absorbing a major part of the increase instead of immediately passing it to consumers. That means: Past cheap crude = current reported profits Current expensive crude = future balance sheet pressure This is exactly why August/September results may look very different if global prices remain elevated.

The world is still going through a historic energy shock. That is why looking only at Brent crude prices tells you almost nothing about India’s real fuel costs. Today India is paying for: •⁠ ⁠disrupted shipping lanes •⁠ ⁠tanker rerouting •⁠ ⁠war-risk insurance •⁠ ⁠expensive spot cargoes •⁠ ⁠refining of heavier crude grades •⁠ ⁠sanctions-era logistics Russian and Venezuelan crude helped India maintain supply stability when Gulf flows became uncertain. But these are heavier barrels that are more expensive to refine than traditional Middle Eastern light crude. On top of that, shipping through conflict-affected maritime zones pushed insurance premiums to extreme levels globally. So yes, Brent may cool temporarily. But India’s actual energy bill is still under enormous pressure. This is not just about oil anymore. It is about surviving one of the largest global energy disruptions in decades without shortages or panic.

ABP anchor Chitra Tripathi is saying that ₹7 increase in petrol diesel is not a big raise. She thinks that ₹221 and ₹441 for common people don’t matter much. What does she want — increase of ₹200? The question is why common people didn’t get the benefits of cheap crude oil?

Calling OMCs “mass murderers” just shows a complete lack of understanding. Yes, they’re showing profits right now, but that’s from earlier cheaper oil. At the same time, they are losing ~₹1000 crore daily because current crude prices are high and they can’t pass it on. Learn the timeline before shouting “loot.

This is half-truth propaganda. Profits you’re quoting come from inventory bought at lower prices earlier. Today’s reality? Expensive crude + controlled retail prices = massive daily losses. Those losses will show up in the next quarter. Facts don’t change just because you ignore them.

The government is not a private sector company that it needs to sacrifice “profits”. Madam you are the worst FM this country has seen and most of the middle-class tax-paying people are not growing because of your incompetence. Best you resign.