Koda aide confesses to hawala dealings

NEW DELHI: The noose around former Jharkhand chief minister Madhu Koda tightened with confessions by Vikas Sinha, younger brother of close aide Binod Sinha. Confessions by Vikas confirmed the link between the former Jharkhand CM and the money laundering scam, which the investigating officials had established through documentary evidence.

The former CM will be questioned in Ranchi on Tuesday about his alleged connection to the hawala transactions and illegal investments running to thousands of crores of rupees.

During questioning by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Vikas confessed to personally delivering Rs 40 crore in cash to S K Naredi, a chartered accountant in Kolkata, for disbursement abroad. Mr Naredi is chartered accountant to Mr Koda and the Sinha brothers. Further, Mr Vikas is believed to have shown officials certain documents about deals that were made during Mr Koda's tenure as CM. Mr Vikas was arrested in Ranchi on Friday and remanded to 14 days judicial custody.

He was brought to Delhi on Sunday for questioning by ED about money laundering and hawala deals that he had carried out on behalf of Mr Koda.