By IANS,
Ranchi : Vigilance department officials have seized gold biscuits, diamonds, silver, and other jewellery worth millions of rupees and documents of land and property holdings from the houses of former Jharkhand chief minister Madhu Koda and three former ministers, an official said here Saturday.
The officials had raided the houses of Koda and three former ministers Friday. The articles and documents seized indicate that the four own assets worth millions of rupees, the vigilance department official said.
Two laptops, a two carat diamond, 11 kg silver, gold jewellery, and papers of possession for 11 acres of land were seized from Koda’s house; jewellery, papers of various properties and flats and various bank accounts from the house of former water resources minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) legislator Kamlesh Singh and gold biscuits and gold jewellery from former health minister and independent legislator Bhanu Pratap Sahi’s house, the official claimed.
A country-made revolver and 13 live cartridges was seized from the house of former human resource development minister and independent legislator Bandhu Tirkey.
The former ministers have termed the raids a bid to tarnish their image.
“One political party is behind the raid. It is a move to tarnish our image. There are some people who are worried about my rising stature in politics,” Sahi told reporters here.
Singh also termed the raid as a move to tarnish his image.
Meanwhile, the Congress has come out in support of Koda and the three former ministers. Congress state president Pradeep Balmuchu and other leaders held a meeting at the residence of former deputy chief minister Stephen Marandi.
“Vigilance (department) is unnecessarily torturing the former chief minister and ministers despite the fact they are cooperating with them in the probe,” Marandi told reporters after the meeting.
Balmuchu said: “Recovery of arms from Bandhu Tirkey’s house seems to be a part of conspiracy. Such moves against former ministers are not right when they are cooperating in the probe.”
Vigilance department officials said they will assess the exact worth of the seized materials and properties mentioned in the documents and then seek an explanation from Koda and the others.
The vigilance department had lodged a case of graft and amassing assets beyond their known sources of income July 2 against Koda and the other three former ministers, after being asked to do so by a court.
The court’s order came while it was hearing a petition on the subject.