More trouble awaits Madhu Koda

Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda spent over Rs 9 crore as a candidate from Singhbhum in the last Lok Sabha polls, an Income Tax report on election expenditure, revealed.

The Election Commission of India’s permissible expenditure is upto Rs 25 lakh.

Koda, who was facing a series of corruption cases, could even be disqualified if he did not reply to Election Commission?s notice within 20 days.

He did not submit vouchers to support his election expenditure, the EC said in a notice served to him on October 7.

Six other candidates who contested from Singhbhum parliamentary constituency have also been asked to explain irregularities in expenditure.

In Koda?s case, the I-T department found undisclosed expenditure of Rs 25.76 lakh which was paid to three media organizations in April 2009.

The IT department also found evidence of Rs 6.28 crore being distributed during the Lok Sabha elections .

There is also evidence of payment of Rs 55 lakh to the Deputy Mayor of Adityapur for distribution among ward commissioners during elections, a media report said on Tuesday.

The tax department said one media organisation was used to fund paid news in local newspapers on behalf of Koda with Rs 1.25 crore being paid per month to a TV news channel.

Koda reportedly distributed two-wheelers and even four-wheelers to his supporters .

Two of Koda?s men bought 450 Hero Honda motorcycles in Jamshedpur for distribution, the report said.