29 January,2010 01:12 PM IST | | IANS
The Jharkhand vigilance bureau Friday filed a chargesheet against former chief minister Madhu Koda and ex-minister Kamlesh Singh and accused them of possessing assets four times more than their known sources of income.
"We have filed chargesheet against Koda and Singh in a disproportionate assets case," Jharkhand vigilance bureau Inspector General of Police M V Rao told IANS.
"This is the first chargesheet against Koda and Singh. They have been charged with amassing assets of Rs.1.40 crore and Rs.1.75 crore respectively beyond their known income. The vigilance department has evidence of the charges," an official in the vigilance department said.
The official said Koda's assets were 400 percent more than his known sources of income and Kamlesh's assets were 130 percent more. The chargesheet was filed in vigilance court of Ranchi.
The vigilance bureau had lodged cases against Koda and Singh along two other ex-ministers Bhnau Pratap Sahi and Bandhu Tirkey July 2 last year. The vigilance department raided the houses of Koda and the three other former ministers July 24. Koda and Singh were arrested Nov 30.
"The investigation is going on against Koda and the other ex-ministers. The preliminary chargesheet has been filed so that they do not get bail on the ground of failure of filing of chargesheet within 90 days," said another official in the vigilance bureau.
The official said the probe in the Koda case will take three to six months to complete. "There are many aspects and his assets are spread over in many Indian and foreign cities."
Koda is also facing probes by the income tax authorities and the Enforcement Directorate. The directorate had lodged a case under Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) against Koda, three more former ministers as well as his associates Vinod Sinha and Sanjay Chaudhary Oct 9 last year.
