Probe Congress, RJD hand in Koda scam: NDA leaders

Ranchi, Nov 22: National Democratic Alliance (NDA) leaders Sunday demanded an independent probe into the Madhu Koda scam and accused the Congress and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) of having a role in the Rs.2,500 crore money laundering racket.

"There should be an independent probe in the Madhu Koda scam. Koda is only an actor in the scam but the producer and director of the scam are Congress and RJD. The Koda scam is a blot in the history of Indian democracy," senior BJP leader M. Venkaiah Naidu said at a press conference here.

"The RJD and Congress should be awarded the Nobel prize along with Koda for looting the state... It was Congress and RJD who installed Koda as chief minister," he said.

Janata Dal-United (JD-U) president Sharad Yadav was also present at the press meet and expressed fears that the Congress might dilute the Koda scam probe.

"The Congress uses scams for political purposes. The Koda episode is a blot on politics. Corporate houses' role should also be probed in the scam," Yadav said.

Echoing his view, Naidu said: "It is also necessary to trace the source of income and the role of corporate houses should also be probed. Koda's diary that contains names of people should be made public in the interest of the people and in the interest of the investigation."

Both Naidu and Sharad Yadav, who are in Jharkhand to campaign for the coming assembly elections, urged voters to give them absolute majority so that independent candidates like Koda don't come up and plunder the state.

"We appeal to the people of the state to give us a clear mandate to avoid the role of independents. What happened when independents won in the last assembly is known to everyone."

Koda is an independent MP from Singhbhum. The five-phase Jharkhand assembly polls begin from Nov 25.

Koda faces charges of laundering Rs.2,500 crore. The IT department and Enforcement Directorate (ED) have conducted raids at 69 places in eight Indian cities, including Koda's home, since Oct 31. Koda, however, insists the raids were motivated.

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