Ranchi, Nov 1 (IANS) The Income Tax department (IT) and enforcement directorate continued searches in cities across the country for the second day Saturday to gather evidence of corruption against former chief minister and Lok Sabha member Madhu Koda, officials said.
“Investigation and search operations are on. We have concluded search operation at a few places and some additional places have been raided,” Ujjawal Chodhary, director of IT investigation, told reporters here.

According to sources, five places have been sealed and 13 new places have been raided. The raids are still on in Mumbai, Lucknow and Kolkata.

The IT department, which was probing a disproportionate assets charge against Madhu Koda, conducted raids in eight Indian cities at 70 places of the former chief minister and his associates. The sleuths found documents relating to illegal transaction of Rs.2,000 crore.

The IT department and the Enforcement Directorate jointly raided houses of Koda’s personal secretary Harendra Singh and an aide to former chief minister Shibu Soren, M.N. Pal.

Also, raids were conducted at houses of mediapersons Arup Chatterji and Prem Shyankaran Sunday.

“The raids were conducted at houses and offices of Arup Chatterji and Prem Shyankaran,” Chaudhary said. Arup was till last month reporter with Sahara News channel. He is planning to open a news channel. Prem is a contractor who started a Hindi newspaper.

According to officials, IT sleuths were ascertaining the source of income of the proposed news channel.

“The raids involve a former chief minister and some high profile people. The raids will continue for next two to three days. The assessment of bank accounts and documents will take time,” said an IT official.