Madhu Koda's aide arrested in Dubai

Sanjay Choudhury, a close aide of former Jharkhand chief minister Madhu Koda, now in jail, was arrested in Dubai today on charges of money laundering. HT reports.

Sanjay Choudhury, a close aide of former Jharkhand chief minister Madhu Koda, now in jail, was arrested in Dubai on Wednesday on charges of money laundering.

HT Image

The Interpol (International Police Organisation) arrested Choudhury and began the process for handing over the accused to Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) sleuths investigating the scam. India has an extradition treaty with the United Arab Emirates, to which Dubai belongs.

A resident of Jamshedpur, Choudhury had left India when Koda was chief minister in 2005-06 for Dubai to look after investments made by the then chief minister and his associates in real estate. He settled there with his wife, children and younger brother Mritunjay Choudhury, declaring himself a non-resident Indian.

"Madhu Koda’s aide Sanjay Choudhury, accused of investing in Koda’s dubious funds abroad, has been arrested by Interpol," the CBI spokesperson told HT in New Delhi.

CBI officials in Ranchi also confirmed Choudhury’s arrest.

Binod Sinha and Manoj Punamiya, two of the other major aides of Koda, are behind bars. Koda's former ministerial colleagues Kamlesh Kumar Singh, Enos Ekka and Hari Narayan Rai are also in jail.

Son of a tobacco vendor, Choudhury’s is a rag-to-riches story. Overzealous to earn a quick buck, he developed political contacts. Then he became close to Koda when the latter became chief minister.

The Red Corner Notice against Choudhury was issued on October 14, 2011.

A CBI official who is not authorised to talk to the media said: "The CBI will now write to the ministry of external affairs, alerting them about the arrest of Choudhury … We will request the MEA authorities to get in touch with the Dubai authorities to expedite the process of extraditing him to India to face trial."