Charges framed against Madhu Koda in money laundering case

RANCHI: Charges were today framed in court against former Jharkhand chief minister Madhu Koda and five others under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) pertaining to Rs 3,549.72 crore.

Koda was charged with knowingly assisting and allegedly being a party in the process and activities connected with the proceeds of crime between February 2005 and September 2006 when he was mines minister and September 2005 and August 2008 during his chief ministerial tenure.

Besides Koda, the other accused who were present in the court of N N Singh were Binod Sinha, Vikas Sinha, Vijay Joshi, Arvind Vyas and Manoj K B Punamia when charges were framed under Section 4 of the PMLA, 2002.

Punamia is on bail and the others are in judicial custody.

Koda is in judicial custody from November 30, 2009 after the October 31, 2009 countrywide raids by ED and IT on 69 premises.

The court also framed charges against former water resources minister Kamlesh Singh who is on bail in a separate money laundering case.