Enforcement directorate to seek Dubai help to collar Koda aide

The enforcement directorate (ED) is likely to move a repatriation request to the Dubai government to get custody of Koda scam accused Sanjay Choudhary, who is learnt to be hiding in that country. The agency is soon likely to take steps to arrest another key Koda aide, Binod Sinha.

Choudhary and Sinha helped former Jharkhand chief minister Madhu Koda build his empire and invested money on his behalf. They jointly own 14 companies in India and two in Dubai: M/s Cam Pech manufacturing LLC and M/s Blue Techno. Their have businesses in steel, cement, automobiles, power, infrastructure, transportation, tourism and agriculture.

At present, India does not have an extradition treaty with the Dubai government. However, it is learnt that Choudhary’s passport may have been revoked, making the task of his repatriation easier.
“We don’t have an official intimation on that front right now. We will move once the process of revocation is complete,” said a senior ED official.

Once Choudhary’s passport is revoked, India can ask for his repatriation on grounds that he is an Indian and staying illegally in Dubai. ED is also likely to tell the Jharkhand government to issue an arrest warrant for Sinha. “The arrest warrant has to be issued through the state government. These two people are key to this case and their testimonies are crucial,” said a senior ED official.

Before becoming a fixer for Madhu Koda, Sinha was a milk vendor and seller of electrical equipment. His business partner
Choudhary used to earlier sell cement to contractors in Jharkhand. Investigations have revealed that Sinha owns properties worth Rs200 crore in India and abroad. They have business interests in India, Thailand, Indonesia, Dubai and Singapore.

Koda’s men diverted money abroad through the hawala channel. One Abdul Bhai in Dubai was the point man for the chief minister’s gang in Dubai.

In Mumbai, Balaji Bullion and Retailers was the front company that was used to transfer funds to Dubai. Sanjay Choudhary is one of the directors on the board of this firm. Koda sent $100 million of hawala money to Dubai, to a person identified as Abdul Bhai.