CBI takes over Koda scam probe

RANCHI - The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed an FIR against former Jharkhand chief minister Madhu Koda and five ex-ministers in a disproportionate assets scam, an official said.

The Jharkhand High Court Aug 4 ordered a CBI probe against them for amassing assets more than their known sources of income.

“We have lodged an FIR (first information report) against Koda and five ex-ministers,” Superintendent of Police, CBI, R.C. Chaudhary told reporters.

The FIR was lodged in a special CBI court late Wednesday under different sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act and Indian Penal Code, including those for cheating and criminal conspiracy.

The vigilance bureau’s two cases, in which Koda and the ex-ministers were named as accused, have been transferred to the central agency.

The vigilance bureau had lodged the first case against two ex-ministers Enos Ekka and Harinarayan Rai Nov 26, 2008 and the second case was filed against Koda and former ministers Kamlesh Singh, Bhanu Pratap Sahi and Bandhu Tirkey last year.

The vigilance bureau handed over the details of investigation made against the accused to the CBI, sources said.

Koda, Ekka, Rai and Singh are in jail in the graft case. They were last year arrested by the vigilance bureau, which had filed a chargesheet against them for amassing assets 300-500 percent more than their known sources of income.

The Income Tax department and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) raided the houses of Koda and his associates in October last year and February this year.

The ED filed a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act against Koda and the three jailed ex-ministers.