Former Jharkhand chief minister Madhu Koda, who is currently in judicial custody till January 19 in connection with a disproportionate assets case, is likely to be arrested soon by the Enforcement Directorate under Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
Official sources said the Directorate, which already has a court permission to question Koda in the Birsa Munda Central Jail, Ranchi, have prepared a series of questions based on the investigations done in last three months.
The ED is waiting for Koda to come back to the jail from a hospital in Ranchi, where he is admitted since December 28 after he complained of stomach ache.
They said once a statement is taken, he is likely to be arrested in connection with the alleged multi-crore illegal investment and hawala network of his and his associates.
If by any chance, ED is not able to question Koda, who was arrested by the Jharkhand vigilance department on November 30 in a disproportionate assets case, the Directorate might arrest him on January 19, when the former CM's judicial custody comes to an end.
"He has been arrested for a disproportionate asset case. The ED has registered a case under PMLA and hence he could be arrested soon," an official said.
Meanwhile, the ED is also looking at Koda's investment in Pune where he is alleged to have pumped his money into an aviation firm.
A resident of Pune, who is said to be close to Koda is also under the scanner, sources said.
Koda has been in and out of the hospital since the ED slapped the case against him and seven others on October 9.
While the Directorate had earlier summoned him on various occasions, he has evaded the ED under various pleas even though he has been questioned by the Income Tax department which has also filed a case against him.
Meanwhile, the ED had on Tuesday filed a chargesheet in a Ranchi PMLA court against Koda's aide Vikash Sinha.
In its complaint under section 45 of PMLA-2002, ED has alleged that Sinha had helped his brother Binod Sinha in money laundering and tried to turn his brother's black money into white.
ED counsel S R Das had told PTI that the complaint was filed, pending investigations of others including Koda and Binod.
Binod and another aide of Koda, Sanjay Choudhary, who are facing arrest warrants from Income Tax department and ED, have not turned up to them since the two agencies jointly raided 70 premises on October 31, including the premises of Koda, Sinha brothers and Choudhary.