Congress denies it is 'harassing' Koda

With UPA ally Madhu Koda, a former Jharkhand chief minister facing probe for alleged hawala transactions and investments, Congress today rejected charges that the party was harassing him.

"We reject it. It is wrong..." party spokesman Shakeel Ahmed said when asked whether the Congress was harassing Koda to gain political mileage in the Jharkhand assembly elections.

To a query whether Congress too was to be blamed for the corruption and money laundering charges against Koda as it was supporting the state government, Ahmed shot back. "Not only the Congress, other parties were also supporting the government".

Noting that "law will take its own course", Ahmed said that Congress was not a part of the government led by Koda and was only supporting it from outside. He said, "the Congress supported the government for the welfare and development of the people of Jharkhand." Ahmed, however, maintained that the party will support any action against corruption.

Asked if Koda was still a part of the UPA, he said that the Independent MP was supporting the government from outside. To a question on whether the names of Congress leaders have cropped up during the investigations into the corruption allegations against Koda, Ahmed categorically said, "no Congress leader is involved".

He said, "we do not have any information. There should be transparency and accountability in public life. We have zero tolerance towards corruption."