Former Jharkhand leader denies involvement in money laundering

Ranchi: Former Jharkhand chief minister Madhu Koda, who is facing arrest on charges of laundering Rs25 billion (Dh1.96 billion), was discharged from a hospital here on Sunday and maintained that he had been falsely implicated in the case.

Koda, who was admitted on November 3 after complaining of severe stomach ache, left the hospital around 11.45am. Heavy security arrangements were in place as hundreds of Koda supporters had gathered at the Apollo Hospital. Koda was taken to his official residence in Ranchi.

Income Tax (IT) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials went to the chief minister's official residence to interrogate him.

Pleading his innocence, Koda said: "Charges against me are false."

When asked about the documents and proof collected by IT from his house, he said: "Ask them [the IT department]."

Koda said he knew Vinod Sinha, the alleged kingpin of the money laundering scam. "I know Vinod Sinha but there is no business involvement with him," he said.

Commenting on the ED summoning him to New Delhi, he said: "I will respond to the ED summons."

According to sources, the IT department will interrogate Koda first and the ED will be kept informed.

"We have come across documents and information related to investment in foreign countries and money sent through hawala [a traditional system of money transfer]. Koda will be interrogated to know about foreign investments and the hawala transactions and how the network was working," said a source in the IT department.

Meanwhile, IT officials have started scrutinising the mining deals inked by Koda when he was in power.

"The special commissioner Ajay Kumar is scrutinizing the mines case," said Ajit Kumar Srivastav, additional director of IT.

Koda was chief minister from September 2006 to August 2008 and kept the mines and geology department portfolio.

He was also mines and geology minister between March 2005 and September 2006 when Arjun Munda was chief minister.

Reporter threatened

Harendra Singh, the personal secretary of former Jharkhand chief minister Madhu Koda, allegedly threatened to shoot a television news reporter in Ranchi on Sunday when the latter asked him about his role in the money laundering scandal.

"I just asked him why he was interrogated by the IT officials. Harendra Singh pushed my mic aside, and when I again posed the same question to him he threatened he would shoot me," said Brajesh Roy, a reporter with News 24 channel. Media persons in Ranchi have condemned the incident.