Madhu Koda faces arrest on discharge from hospital

Ranchi, Nov 5 (ANI): Income Tax sleuths on Thursday made it clear that former Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda will be arrested as soon as he is discharged from hospital.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) and IT department have also directed the ARA Memorial Weaver's Hospital in Ranchi, where Koda is recuperating, not to release him without informing them.

Earlier, the IT department sealed Koda's house in Ranchi.

The ED had also issued a summons to Koda and seven of his aides in connection with alleged hawala transactions.

Koda and his aides have been directed to present themselves before the directorate on November 9, 10,11.

An ED team from Delhi had earlier arrived in Ranchi to obtain documents on the alleged hawala transactions carried out by Koda and his associates. It intends to obtain material evidence and documents seized by the income tax department and source information from the records of the tax searches against Koda and others.

After witnessing nationwide raids for three days to unearth the assets of the former Jharkhand chief minister and his associates, Koda had on Tuesday complained of a pain in his abdomen, giddiness and vomiting. He was admitted to Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Apollo Hospital in Ranchi.

The IT department has set November 6 as the deadline for six of Koda's alleged aides to appear before it to explain certain transactions and events. They have been told that if they fail to appear, they will be liable for legal action. (ANI)