HC orders CBI probe against 3 Koda ex-aides

The Jharkhand High Court on Monday ordered CBI probe of disproportionate property case against MLA Bandhu Tirkey and two former MLAs Dulal Bhuiyan and Bhanu Pratap Shahi who are former Cabinet colleagues of former Chief Minister Madhu Koda.

In an order passed by the High Court, it asked the CBI to hold a complete, speedy, effective, comprehensive and complete investigation in the matter.

The Court also directed CBI to investigate either offences, and the role of State Government officials, persons and their private and government secretaries who are alleged to have a role in this corruption.

Nevertheless, AJSU party MLA and Minister in the present Government Chandra Prakash Chaudhary got a reprieve after the Income Tax Department and the State Vigilance Bureau in an affidavit submitted before the court said that no proof of disproportionate property was found against him.

The HC ordered it while hearing a supplementary petition filed by Durga Oraon who had sought HC for CBI probe against them. In 2008, Oraon had filed a PIL against Koda and his Cabinet colleagues and accused them of amassing property beyond their known sources of income.

In subsequent hearing of the matter, the case was referred to the CBI for investigation and different probe agencies had conducted nationwide raids against on many different occasions.

But DA cases related with Tirkey, Bhuiyan and Shahi were continued to be investigated by Vigilance Bureau which was challenged by the petitioner on the ground that such cases should be investigated by the CBI.

Hearing the case on August 2, the High Court had directed Income Tax and Vigilance Bureau to submit a detail report whether evidences against them exist or not. The Court had also directed IT Department to handover all related probe related documents to the CBI.

Nevertheless, the CBI investigating medicine and NRHM scam has submitted charge sheet against Shahi but the petitioner contended that DA case against him should handed over to the CBI. Shahi was Health Minister during the regime of Koda.

“It is a landmark decision by the Court. The Court has specifically asked CBI for an extensive and complete investigation of cases against them. We had demanded CBI probe against all former colleagues of Koda. But IT and Vigilance Bureau found no proof against them,” lawyer Rajiv Kumar said. The petitioner sought CBI inquiry on the ground of the affidavit submitted by the IT Department in 2010 where it accepted that there existed enough evidences to charge them under provisions of the DA case.

While a minister of Land Reform and Revenue Bhuiyan allegedly amassed crores of property and brought a resort in Singhbhum district. Tirkey who was HRD Minister in Koda government was accused for purchasing a flat at Basant Bihar in New Delhi and land in other parts of Jharkhand.     

Notably, including Koda, three of his former cabinet colleagues Ainosh Ekka, Harinarayan Roy and Kamlesh Singh, have been facing CBI probe in DA related cases. The court decision has swollen the number.