Madhu Koda's associate arrested by Enforcement Directorate

Ranchi (Jharkhand), Nov 6 (ANI): The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday arrested Vikas Sinha, an associate of former Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda, for his alleged role in the hawala transactions and the illegal investments.

Vikas Sinha, the brother of another associate Binod Sinha, will be produced before a local court where the Enforcement Directorate will seek his police remand before he is sent to the Directorate's regional headquarters in Patna.

The sources in the Enforcement Directorate said that Vikas is allegedly involved in investing and routing Koda's money through the hawala channels.

Vikas Sinha, who was arrested when he appeared before the ED, is the first associate of Koda to be taken into custody by the Directorate, among the eight people it has summoned for questioning in the multi-crore scam.

The department has also issued a Red Corner notice against Koda and eight others for their alleged role in money laundering, diversion of state funds and indulging in huge illegal investments abroad.

It has been reported that Koda's personal secretary Harendra Singh is also in the dock for his relations with the tainted minister.

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.

Nationwide raids were conducted 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 had 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.

Income Tax sleuths have indicated that Madhu Koda will be arrested as soon as he is discharged from the hospital in Ranhi. (ANI)