IT, ED not cooperating in Koda scam probe, says Jharkhand

RANCHI - The Jharkhand government has accused the office of the Income Tax (IT) and Enforcement Directorate (ED), investigating the Madhu Koda money laundering scam, of not cooperating with the state vigilance bureau.

“The vigilance bureau is not getting cooperation from the IT and ED. The central government should ask the IT to make the diary of Koda public,” Jharkhand Deputy Chief Minister Raghubar Das told IANS.

A vigilance official told IANS: “We are in regular contact with the IT and ED officials. We are yet to get information or evidences of investments of Koda and his associates in the scam. We requested the ED twice to share details of information. We were told that since their investigation is still on, evidences cannot be shared.”

Facing criticism for ruling out a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the scam, the Jharkhand government Thursday said if the high court wanted the central agency investigations the state was ready for it.

“The state government is ready for a CBI probe in the Madhu Koda case if Jharkhand High Court wants. We are dedicated to fight corruption. We want that the Koda case should be taken to logical conclusion,” Das told IANS.

Durga Oraon had filed a public interest litigation (PIL) in 2008 seeking a CBI probe against former chief minister Koda and five of his erstwhile cabinet colleagues - Enos Ekka, Harinarayan Rai, Kamlesh Singh, Bandhu Tirkey and Bhanu Pratap Sahi - alleging that the six were amassing assets beyond their known sources of income.

The state vigilance bureau also has cases of Koda and the five former ministers owning disproportionate assets.

Koda, who is at the centre of a Rs.2,500-crore money laundering scam, is in jail since Nov 30 after his arrest by the state vigilance bureau. IT and ED officials Oct 31 raided 69 places in eight Indian cities, including houses owned by Koda.

Kamlesh Singh, Ekka and Rai are also in jail. Tirkey, who is an Independent legislator, is supporting the Soren government.

On Oct 9 last year, the ED had lodged a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) against Koda, three more former ministers as well as his associates Vinod Sinha and Sanjay Chaudhary.

In December, the PMLA court granted letter rogatory to ED to collect evidences against Koda and his associates in five countries — Thailand, Dubai, Indonesia, Sweden and Liberia.