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ShareNew Delhi: Former Jharkhand chief minister Madhu Koda was on Thursday shifted out of the intensive care unit (ICU) to the general ward of a private hospital in Ranchi and faces "imminent" arrest on his discharge.
Enforcement directorate(ED) officials claim they have enough evidence to nail him. "The arrest is imminent. The evidence is conclusive," ED sources said.
The income-tax (I-T) department claimed, on Thursday, to have stumbled upon documents showing Koda and his associates allegedly stashed huge sums of money in Swiss banks. I-T department has handed over these documents to the ED, which would be sending in a letter of request to Swiss authorities for ascertaining the exact amount allegedly stashed by Koda and his associates.
Besides Switzerland, the bank documents suggest Koda and his associates stashed money in Thailand and Mauritius. Sources said the information obtained from the documents will have to be put across to Koda for further progress, which can only happen after detailed questioning.
Koda was rushed to hospital two days ago after he complained of severe stomach pain on being issued summons from the ED. The ED and I-T sleuths then asked hospital authorities not to discharge Koda without informing them.
Under Prevention of Money Laundering Act, the ED is empowered to arrest him. There is already enough evidence against Koda, of having plundered the state exchequer as minister and later as CM. His assets reportedly run into thousands of crores.
In another development, the Jharkhand high court directed the state to produce a progress report on the Jharkhand vigilance department probe against Koda and his former cabinet colleagues by November 12. High court chief justice Gyan Sudha Mishra was hearing a PIL by Durga Oraon, seeking a CBI probe against Koda and the others.
(With inputs from agencies)
