Koda aide brought back to India, held

A two-member team of Enforcement Directorate (ED) accompanied Anil Bastawde and he was taken into custody when he landed at the airport here.

Sources said he would be sent to Jharkhand's capital Ranchi tomorrow for production in a special Prevention of Money laundering Act (PMLA) court.

CBI had earlier told Enforcement Directorate (ED) about the detention of Bastawade by Indonesian enforcement agencies.

CBI had issued a Red Corner Notice (RCN) against him on the request of ED which is probing charges of alleged money laundering against the businessman.

ED wants the custody of 48-year-old businessman to probe the alleged financial irregularities conducted by Koda during his tenure as Chief Minister of the mineral-rich state under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Koda is at present jailed in Ranchi.

ED suspects Bastawade has made alleged illegal investments in Dubai and other foreign locations on behalf of Koda and his other associates.

The agency has named him in its chargesheet filed last year in the case for his alleged role in purchasing properties in the UAE from "criminal proceeds" generated by "illegal" activities during the tenure of Koda as chief minister from September 2006 to August 2008.