Koda fails to appear before ED in Ranchi

Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda, facing money laundering and corruption charges, on Thursday failed to appear before the Enforcement Directorate citing reasons of election campaigning in interior areas of the state.

The ED had summoned Koda to appear before its officials in Ranchi at 1530 hours for questioning in the multi-crore hawala and illegal investments case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

Sources said that apart from election campaigning, Koda has also said that he will be attending the Lok Sabha winter session that started on Thursday.

ED officials however did not say anything about the new dates to be issued to the former chief minister. "We will take an appropriate decision," sources said.

Koda, according to sources, was to be questioned on the basis of documents seized during the nationwide Income Tax searches on him and his associates, which began on October 31.

The ED also wanted to grill Koda on the statements of his business partner Vikash Sinha, arrested by the Directorate and presently in judicial custody.

Koda had earlier termed all charges against him as a 'political conspiracy.' The former chief minister said on November 14, "I am very much aware that some political higher-ups are working against me. I shall expose them at an appropriate time."