Koda scam: Jharkhand minister in judicial custody

A special vigilance court on Tuesday sent former Jharkhand minister and Nationalist Congress Party leader Kamlesh Singh to 14-days judicial custody in connection with a disproportionate assets case.

Singh, who was arrested at Hussainabad in Palamau district by the vigilance police on Monday, was produced before the court of Binoy Kant Khan.

However, the court granted his plea to allow him to file nomination papers from Hussainabad assembly seat, as today is the last day to file the papers. The court directed him to return soon after filing the papers.

Polls in Hussainabad will be held in the fifth and final phase on December 18.

Singh is the fourth Jharkhand minister to be sent to judicial custody due to his involvement in the multi-crore hawala scam. Former chief minister Madhu Koda was arrested in connection with the scam on Monday from Chaibasa.

Former ministers Enos Ekka and Harinarayan Rai are already in judicial custody, after they surrendered before the court nearly two months ago.

All of them are facing charges of accumulating disproportionate assets during their ministerial tenure between 2005 and 2008.