Press Trust of India / Ranchi Nov 06, 2009, 14:48 IST
The deadline set by the Income Tax (I-T) Department to record the statements of at least six associates of former Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda today expired without them appearing.
The deadline of 11 am was set for Koda's associates Binod Kumar Sinha, Sanjay Kumar Choudhary, Devendra Mukhia, Basant Bhattacharya, Manoj Punamiya and Anil Bastawde.
A senior I-T official said: "Their presence is required to explain certain transactions and events."
They were asked to appear before the Additional Director of I-T (Investigation) in connection with continuing search and seizure operation, at 70 places in nine cities across the country.
One of Koda's personal assistants, however, appeared before IT officials for questioning, besides another person.
Meanwhile, a spokesman of the Abdur Razzak Weavers Memorial Hospital, where Koda was admitted, said his condition was stable, but there was little chance of his discharge today.
Koda, who was grilled by IT sleuths, got himself admitted to the hospital four days ago on complaints of stomach ache.
Meanwhile, the officials of the Enforcement Directorate have started preparing the documents and order required for summoning and arrests of certain other associates.
"We are in touch with the headquarters," an ED source said hinting at the possibility of taking final clearances to take forward the probe in the Hawala transaction and illegal investments by Koda and his men worth Rs 2,000 crores.
The I-T department is preparing a list of seizures and sealing certain rooms and lockers at the premises of Koda and his associates.
It is pathetic that people like Madhu Koda former CM Jharkhand who has risen from rags to riches manage to get into politics by using money and muscle power and after attaining the highest position of CM in the state, they start amassing wealth, in cash and kind both, illegally by misusing the official authority. After the scam involving Koda and his associates to the tune of Rs 05,000 crores was unearthed by the IT and ED departments, by feigning illness, Koda got himself admitted in the hospital. Since no one is above the law of the land, to meet the ends of justice, Koda and his associates should be dealt with sternly to unearth the chain of culprits, irrespective of their identity, howsoever big or small, living within the country or abroad.
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