As search for alleged assets of Jharkhand’s former chief minister Madhu Koda continued on the third day by Income-Tax sleuths, in a fresh ultimatum, the I-T department on Monday night asked Vinod Sinha, an aide of Koda, to appear before it or face legal action.

Besides Sinha, the ultimatum has also been issued for Sanjay Choudhary, Devendra Mukhia, Basant Bhattacharya, Manoj Punamiya and Anil Bastawde, a senior officer said here.

“These persons are advised to appear before the office of the Additional Director of Income-Tax, Ranchi, on November 6 at 11 am to explain certain transactions and events,” he said.

If they fail to appear, he added, the department would be bound to take legal action under various laws.

Refusing to comment on whether the I-T department would seek Interpol’s help in connection with alleged hawala transaction of Rs 560 crore and illegal investments amounting to Rs 1,500 crore, he said the sleuths were conducting raids under the provisions of the Income-Tax Act.

On Saturday, the I-T launched raids on 70 alleged properties of Koda and his associates in Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Lucknow, Nasik, Ranchi, Chaibasa and Jamshedpur following allegations that he had amassed illegal wealth during his tenure as chief minister and minister for mines in the Arjun Munda government.

Security men have been manning the Koda residence in Ranchi as the I-T officers continued their search operations and questioning of the Lok Sabha member from Jharkhand’s Singhbhum constituency.

Meanwhile, the state Vigilance department on Monday said it would ask the I-T to share details of seized materials and assets to enable it to use them as evidence against Koda in a disproportionate assets case that it is looking into.

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