The Enforcement Directorate has directed the Patna office to take possession of the properties attached in multi-crore money laundering cases against Koda & co. The Patna office, however, citing some technical reasons, have sought fresh directives from the headquarters.
“Seeking directives on the process of execution of the order, the Patna office has asked fresh direction in this regard,” said a source in the directorate. Patna office is said to have written back to the headquarters at Delhi as only an officer of the rank of Deputy Director is eligible to do so. The Deputy Director of the directorate sits at lucknow office of the directorate. The ED court had ordered to attach the properties belonging to Koda and his close aides. The orders for attachment of these properties spread to cities like Pune, Mumbai, Bangalore, Ranchi and Jamshedpur. Koda is lodged in Birsa Munda Central Jail since November 30, 2009, after being arrested by the State Vigilance Bureau from Chaibasa in a case related to multi-crore money laundering cases.
The charges against Koda and his associates were framed in 2010 by the trial court. The money laundering scandal against Koda involved Rs.2, 500 crore, according to the probe agency.
The scam came in light when Koda, an independent MlA was the Chief Minister of Jharkhand supported by Congress, RJD and JMM, between 2006 and 2009. His other colleagues Kamlesh Singh, Enosh Ekka and Harinarayan Roy, accused in the multi-crore money laundering case and Enforcement Directorate cases have already been released from the jail.