CBI may probe Koda scam: Maken

Minister of State for Home Ajay Maken said on Saturday the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) may be asked to probe the alleged Rs 2,500 crore money laundering scam involving former Jharkhand chief minister Madhu Koda.

Minister of State for Home Ajay Maken said on Saturday the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) may be asked to probe the alleged Rs 2,500 crore money laundering scam involving former Jharkhand chief minister Madhu Koda.

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“Two agencies, the Income Tax Department and the Enforcement Directorate (ED), are investigating the case and if the need arises, the CBI or any other agency could be asked to probe the scam,” Maken told reporters in Ranchi.

“The Congress does not consider Koda innocent. We had launched an agitation against the corruption prevailing in the Koda government. He is no longer part of the UPA (United Progressive Alliance),” Maken added.

Koda became chief minister with the support of the Congress, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM). His term as chief minister from September 2006 to August 2008 generated a number of stories about his alleged wrongdoing.

“The Congress will prefer to sit in opposition instead of taking help of such people to form the government in the state (after the judt-concluded assembly elections),” Maken said.

“The Congress is committed to weeding out corruption. We took action against (former Jharkhand governor) Syed Sibte Razi's aides (who was accused of corruption). Razi, who is now governor of Assam, has not been given an extension,” he poointed out.

The CBI had raided houses of Razi's aides, senior Indian Administrative Service officer Avinsh Kumar and personal secretary Rajesh Thakur in August this year.