Soren's aide under I-T scanner for Koda scam

Income Tax (I-T) officials today conducted searches at the premises of Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren's close aide and 10 others in connection with alleged illegal investments and hawala transactions case involving his predecessor Madhu Koda.

Searches were conducted at around 60 places across the country, including Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Ranchi to track the origin of the over Rs 2,000 crore scam.

Sources said tax officials searched the premises of a former IAS officer and mining secretary during the Koda's tenure as chief minister.

The premises of the personal assistant of Soren who was earlier associated with Koda, was also searched.

Two former chairmen of the Jharkhand electricity board and a couple of present members too came under the IT scanner. Investigations were carried out at the premises of at least five officials from the state civil service, they said.

The searches are in continuance to the probe in the illegal investments and Hawala case related to Madhu Koda, they said.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had booked Koda and seven others in connection with financial irregularities on October 9.

Koda is now in judicial custody after he was arrested by Jharkhand Vigilance Bureau on November 30 in connection with a state vigilance case pending at a special vigilance court.