OUR CORRESPONDENT

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1110116/jsp/jharkhand/story_13446392.jsp

Ranchi, Jan. 15: A formal complaint filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) today exposed the dubious nature of the connection between former chief minister Madhu Koda and his close aide Vinod Sinha, which resulted in swindling of funds to the tune of Rs 915.25 crore.

The ED filed the complaint under Section 4 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) before the court of special judge G.K. Singh in Ranchi.

The 86-page complaint detailed investigations carried out by ED officers into properties and assets developed by Sinha within the country. The complaint said the ED had evidence to believe that Sinha had acquired property and other fixed assets abroad and investigations on that front were still pending.

According to ED’s senior special public prosecutor S.R. Das, the complaint stated that Sinha collected money on behalf of the former chief minister. “Sinha was the main frontman for Koda for investing on his behalf in the country and abroad,” Das said.

Sinha invested money on behalf of Koda in India and West Asia. The Koda aide, who was absconding for quite some time before he was arrested from a farm house in Delhi on September 16 last year, was produced in a Ranchi court two days later and sent to Birsa Munda Central Jail where he has been lodged since.

Speaking to The Telegraph, Das said several companies and real estate had been found in Sinha’s name. They were acquired by him between 2006 and 2008 when Koda was chief minister.

The complaint also stated that Sinha was a small time businessman dealing in tractors in Chaibasa before Koda was elected chief minister. As soon as Koda assumed office, Sinha’s earnings multiplied, and though he was never seen in the picture, he was entrusted with managing Koda’s tainted money.

Sinha also invested Rs 650 crore in companies registered in his name or in the name of his relatives and those close to him. He spent about Rs 6.5 crore as election expenditure for Koda during the parliamentary elections, the complaint revealed.

Das explained under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, a chargesheet is not formally filed. However, as per Section 45 of the Act, after investigations are carried out by ED, a complaint is lodged in court, which has been done in this case.

The advocate also said ED had prepared the complaint after investigating the case from all possible angles. Though some investigations were still pending, the complaint made out a case for Sinha’s prosecution under Section 4 of the Act. The section deals with tainted money, which carries a punishment of seven years imprisonment under the Act.

The ED also filed a petition seeking exemption of appearance for its deputy director Prabhakar, so that he did not have to appear on every date in the case and in his place Das could be allowed to represent the ED. Another petition has also been filed by ED to allow it to keep all documents pertaining to the investigations in its custody as they are voluminous.