Corruption Watch

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<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Koda arrest imminent</b>
pioneer.com
PNS | Ranchi/Patna
<b>4 note-counting machines found at house; diary listing booty mentions ‘Lalu’</b>

The reported move of the Enforcement Directorate and the<b> I-T department to arrest Madhu Koda any moment in the multi-crore money laundering case is giving sleepless nights to many top politicians across the country, especially in Bihar and Maharashtra. RJD chief Lalu Prasad’s name on Thursday allegedly figured on the list of those who received a slice of Koda’s ‘tainted’ cake, prompting the BJP to seek a probe into his role in the “loot of the State”.</b>

The arrest of Koda has become imminent mainly because the ED is satisfied with the evidence against him for allegedly carrying out hawala transactions and massive illegal investments in various companies. <b>The ED wants to thoroughly quiz the former CM, who is believed to have shared his booty with many political patrons.</b>

<b>On Wednesday, the I-T officials had sealed Koda’s Ranchi house and seized a number of documents relating to investments, four currency counting machines, jewellery, a laptop, computer hard disk and cash, sources said.</b>

The indisposed Chaibasa independent MP — <b>who is currently admitted in Apollo Hospital near Ranchi after complaining of stomachache, nausea and high BP — has now shifted from the ICU to a deluxe room. According to sources in the ED/I-T, the hospital has already been directed not to unnecessarily keep him hospitalised.</b> Sleuths are ready to arrest Koda in hospital and not to wait for his official discharge, sources added. “We have asked the doctors to update us with Koda’s health status and told them not to discharge him without informing us,” said an official.

Meanwhile, Apollo Hospital spokesperson Javed Akhtar said, <b>“His condition is stable but the doctors are constantly monitoring him. Samples — including TSH, urine culture and urine routine — have been sent for tests and the final report can be given only after we get the results.”</b>

The ED had on October 9 lodged a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) against <b>Koda and three of his former colleagues — Kamlesh Singh, Bhanu Pratap Shahi and Bandhu Tirkey, along with his associate Binod Sinha and others.</b>

Even as the noose tightened around Koda, a diary seized during the raid carried out on his premises has started giving shivers to many political stalwarts who once patronised the former Jharkhand CM. A senior<b> Congress leader from Maharashtra has already called on the party chief to clarify his stand, source</b>s said.

The diary has names of a number of politicians, including “Lalu”, written on it. It was also revealed by sources that transactions had been marked against the name but whether the name refers to the RJD chief was a matter of investigation.

However, the RJD chief denied his involvement in any such transaction and demanded a probe as to who was the “Lalu” mentioned in the diary. He said there should be a thorough investigation to find out the connection of politicians with Koda, especially of the names mentioned in the diary.

<b>“I demand that even the names of all those who have Swiss bank accounts should be made public. The law will take its own course,” Lalu told mediapersons.</b> He had called a Press meet to declare his party’s alliance with the LJP and the Left in the Jharkhand poll. The former Bihar Chief Minister, who was instrumental in making Independent MLA Koda the Chief Minister of Jharkhand, was caught off guard when mediapersons quizzed him about his name cropping up in Koda’s diary.

The NDA leaders wasted no time in hitting out at Lalu.<b> “It was Lalu Prasad Yadav who had lobbied hard to install Koda at the throne of Jharkhand and Koda was known as his protege in the tribal State.</b> So Lalu’s role must be investigated in siphoning off Government money to an unbelievable proportion,” demanded Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi.

However, a visibly upset Lalu said the decision to make Koda the Jharkhand Chief Minister was a “collective decision”. He added, “If there is proof of anyone’s involvement in hawala transactions, then appropriate action should be taken. The decision to make Koda the Chief Minister was taken collectively.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->