Jan.08, 2010, 10:33pm IST

Binod Sinha, a close associate of former chief minister Madhu Koda and kingpin in the multi-billion money laundering scam, used to collect money from various business groups on the latter's behalf in return for undue favours.

This revelation came to light in the chargesheet filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the case against Binod's brother Vikas Sinha in the Special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court recently.

The chargesheet said Vikas admitted that Binod used to collect money from several business groups on behalf of Koda, who granted or awarded contracts to these groups during his stint as chief minister from 2006 to 2008.

Vikas, arrested by ED on November 6, last year, admitted that Koda took bribe from several companies to award contracts for rural development, power projects, mining leases and other works.

According to the chargesheet, Binod laundered the money in a systematic manner by way of giving cash to companies existing merely on paper through a group of chartered accountants and getting it back in the form of unsecured loans, share application money and other cheque payments.

Vikas has given Rs 45 crore to one Budh Narayan Gupta, a personal employee of chartered accountant S K Naredi looking after the financial affairs of Koda and company for the manipulation of capital of companies, said the chargesheet.

He has told ED officials that he used to give cash to Naredi through Gupta in cash volume of Rs 15-50 lakh at a time for investments usually 10 times a month.

Vikas admitted that 20 acres were purchased in and around Shivrama Sponge Iron Pvt. Limited factory at the price tag of Rs 10-12 per acre and the part payments were made in cash and cheque, which his elder brother Binod collected from different companies because of proximity to Koda. The land was purchased in the name of Emaar Alloys Pvt. Limited in 2008.

He also bought a flat in a posh residential colony at Kanke Road for Rs 22 lakh in 2007-08, a four-cottah plot at Chaibasa for Rs 4 lakh and another approximately 20-cottah plot also at Chaibasa near New Colony in 2007.

Vikas is the director-cum-partner of Shivans Steel Private Limited, Emaar Alloys Pvt. Ltd and India Motors and Tractors at Chaibasa. ED had pleaded in the court that Vikas was deliberately and actually involved in the process and activity of dealing with the crime proceeds generated by Koda and his associates.