New Delhi, Nov 27 (IANS) Vinod Sinha, a close aide of former Jharkhand chief minister Madhu Koda, who is at the centre of a Rs.2,500 crore money-laundering scam, Friday approached the Delhi High Court seeking anticipatory bail.
Sinha’s counsel R. Karanjawala also pleaded with the court that it would be unfair to arrest Sinha when Madhu Koda, who is the main accused in the multi-crore scam, has not been taken into curstody yet, escpecially when he is also willing to cooperate in investigations.

However, Justice M.C. Garg dismissed the petition and asked Vinod Sinha to file a fresh petition before an appropriate forum.

“The Directorate of Enforcement has flouted all laws and procedures while issuing and servicing of summons to him on various dates in Delhi as well as Jharkhand. And the agency has tried to create hostility against the applicant (Sinha) to falsely justify a future arrest,” Sinha’s counsel said, moving the bail application.

Counsel Karanjawala said: “My client apprehends that he will be arrested and will be physically tortured like his brother, who was arrested earlier by the agency, but the arrest on papers was shown much later. My client is only being made a scapegoat in a case coloured by political vendetta and overtones.”

The Income Tax (IT) department earlier this month issued arrest warrants against Vinod Sinha and Sanjay Chaudhary, close associates of Koda. The IT department asked them to appear before it by Nov 11. When they failed to appear, the IT department issued arrest warrants against them.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has already arrested Vikas Sinha, the brother of Vinod Sinha, who, according to sources, has admitted to sending Rs.40 crore abroad for Koda.

On Oct 9, the ED lodged a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act against Koda, and three former ministers as well as his associates Sinha and Chaudhary.

Emphasising that Sinha is willing to cooperate with the investigating agency, his counsel pleaded that anticipatory bail should be granted to him.

Sinha also pleaded that Koda, who is the main accused in the scam, has not yet been arrested and, therefore, it would be unfair to take Vinod Sinha into custody, especially when he is ready to cooperate.