New Delhi, November 6
In a major breakthrough in the Rs 2,500-crore hawala scam, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) today arrested Bikas Sinha, brother of Binod Sinha, who according to IT officials is the main kingpin in the scandal and also close associate of former Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda. Bikas was arrested in Ranchi after the ED found some incriminating documents at his Jamshedpur residence. He was later produced before a local court that sent him to 14-day judicial custody.
According to sources, Bikas has accepted carrying Rs 40 crore belonging to Koda from Ranchi to Kolkata. The money was later syphoned off abroad through hawala channels. “Bikas has accepted carrying Rs 40 crore early this year to Kolkata. He believed that the money belonged to Koda,” said an ED official said.
According to information, Bikas has further told the officials that Koda as the Chief Minister had earned major money from three sources. “He earned most of his money through electrification deals, transfer and postings and allotting mining leases to people for big commissions.”
Meanwhile, it has also been reported that Koda's personal secretary Harendra Singh has surrendered and is currently being interrogated by the IT sleuths.
It has been learnt that the ED has also served notices on three former ministers in the Koda Cabinet. They are Kamlesh Singh, Bhanu Pratap Shahi and Bandhu Tirkey. A Look-Out Notice has also been issued against Binod Sinha and Sanjay Chaudhry, who failed to appear before the IT Department for interrogation today.
On October 9, the ED had lodged a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act against Koda, the former ministers and his associates - Binod Sinha and Chaudhary.
