Ranchi: Jharkhand High Court on Tuesday asked
the Income Tax department to file an affidavit on why it had
transferred a top official, who oversaw the second phase of
country-wide raids in the Madhu Koda scam, from Ranchi to
Patna circle.
The division bench headed by Chief Justice Gyan Sudha
Mishra had on February 24 directed to maintain status quo on
the posting of Ujjwal Choudhury, Director-Investigation, and
asked him to continue in the same post till further orders.
The court today directed the Income Tax department to
submit the affidavit on the next date of hearing on March 30.
The bench is hearing a PIL filed by a social activist
Durga Oraon praying for an absolute stay on the IT official's
transfer as it might affect the ongoing investigation into the
alleged hawala transactions and illegal investment unearthed
during raids at the residences of former chief minister Koda
and his aides on October 31.
Choudhary was on February 19 transferred as the Chief
Income Tax Commissioner amidst raids in connection with the
Madhu Koda scam.
Choudhary, who was in Chaibasa overseeing the raids in
connection with the alleged scam, was one of the 29 IT
officers in the list of transfer/postings.
PTI
First Published: Tuesday, March 16, 2010, 20:28