Koda discharged, mining deals inked by him under scanner

Ranchi, Nov 8 : Former Jharkhand chief minister Madhu Koda, who faces arrest on charges of laundering Rs.2,500 crore, was Sunday discharged from the Apollo Hospital here. Meanwhile, Income Tax (IT) authorities have started scrutinising the mining deals inked by Koda when he was in power.

"Madhu Koda has been discharged," Apollo Hospital spokesperson Javed Akhtar told IANS.

Koda was hospitalised Nov 3 after he complained of severe stomach ache. An investigator had then said that Koda, independent MP from Singhbhum, was trying to buy time to evade arrest.

"We have informed the ED (Enforcement Directorate) about Koda being discharged. It is up to the ED to decide what they will do and it is also up to Madhu Koda when he decides to leave the hospital," Akhtar added.

Koda faces arrest after the Income Tax department and ED exposed the scam running into thousands of crores of Rupees.

Income Tax authorities have started scrutinizing the mining deals signed when Koda was chief minister - between September 2006 and August 2008. Koda had kept the mines and geology department with himself. He was also mines and geology minister between March 2005 and September 2006 when Arjun Munda was chief minister.

Ajay Kumar, the Income Tax commissioner in Patna, arrived in Ranchi Saturday to scrutinize the mining deals that took place under Koda. Ajay Kumar is an expert in mines investigation. "The special Commissioner Ajay Kumar is scrutinizing the mines files," said Ajit Kumar Srivastav, Additional Director of IT.

According to sources, the IT department has sought details of mines, recommendation of lease of mines made under Koda, issuing survey licence of mines and others. The Mines Director was asked to submit the details of mines lease recommendations made and lease granted during the Koda regime like iron ore, coal, uranium, and others. The details were given to the IT authorities Sunday by Jharkhand, Mines and Geology Director B.B. Singh.

The ED had earlier summoned Koda and other accused Nov 11 to appear in New Delhi.

On Oct 9, the ED filed 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. Vikas Sinha, brother of Koda's close aide Vinod Sinha, was Saturday sent to ED custody for 10 days.

According to sources, Vikas has admitted to sending Rs.40 crore abroad for Koda.

--IANS