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The surge in financial fortunes of Pune-based businessman Anil Adinath Bastawade deported to India from Indonesia on Tuesday in connection with the alleged multi-crore moneylaundering scam involving former Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda had come as a surprise and shock to relatives in Sangli, his native place.
Bastawade’s family members in Pune, when contacted on Wednesday, refused to comment.
Bastawade, known to be a close aide of Koda, was detained in Jakarta by Indonesian authorities on January 21 acting on an Interpol notice issued on the request of the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
ED officials on Wednesday produced him in a Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court in Jharkhand capital Ranchi. Special judge (PMLA) R K Choudhary remanded him in judicial custody for 14 days. Among the others arrested in the scam, besides Koda, are aides Binod Sinha, Vikas Sinha, Manoj Punamia, Arvind Vyas and Vijay Joshi.
Koda, now in judicial custody, was arrested on November 30, 2009 after the Income Tax and ED departments claimed to have unearthed a Rs 2,500-crore moneylaundering and illegal investment scam following countrywide raids on October 31 the same year.
Two others arrested earlier, Harinarayan Rai and Enos Ekka, who were ministers when Koda was CM, are now out on bail.
An ED official said investigations so far reveal that the scam, which allegedly took place during the Koda regime between 2006 and 2008, has swollen to Rs 3,400 crore.
“This excludes Bastawade’s assets,” the official added. As per the chargesheet filed last year, Bastawade is alleged to have purchased assets to the tune of Rs 250 crore in UAE from money generated from illegal activities during Koda’s regime.
Basatwade was reportedly born in Sangli district on August 27, 1964. “The Bastawades left the village about 60 years ago and settled in Pune,” said a relative at his native village Bhose in Sangli.
“He almost severed connection with the village. So we do not know much about his business. But he was good at financial matters and did came to the village on a few occasions for some deal related to their farmland. We are shocked and surprised to know about his progress. He went on to became a close aide of the former Jharkand CM. His father was working in a government department. He has two bothers,” a relative in Sangli said.
Koda is known to have properties in Sangli and Pune. When The Indian Express visited his family members in a residential housing society on the Senapati Bapat Road, they declined to comment.
Bastawade was reported to be the director of Dubai-based companies. He, along with his aides, allegedly played a role in investing, in other countries, illegally earned money from alleged mining scams. He is also learnt to have used his network for promotion of a Marathi movie abroad. (with PTI inputs)
Please note that Madhu Koda government was supported by the CONGRESS & RJD during the time when this loot was happening...!!!! Hence the silence of the Congress and RJD and quite be understood
Let us not forget that the origin of Jharkhand through its Jhrkhand Mukti Morcha lies in introduction of economic liberalisation, in which the JMM MPs were bribed to let the minority government of PVNRao led congress government continue with Dr Manmohan Singh as a visionary FM. Madhu Kodaji has understood and advanced it further.Indian Express group can initiate a study of the journey of economic liberalisation from this perspective
The Bastawade incident only goes to show the depths to which our politicians have sunk. Looked at from another angle, it perhaps reveals the ease with which lumpen elements in Indian society have RISEN to the very top and now use their position to RAPE the nation. States such as Jharkhand have been created to provide better Government for hitherto neglected areas of the country. This fond hope has been dashed when those in power so shamelessly abuse the people's trust. As India rises economically she seems to be Governed by the basest of elements, who would not shrink at betraying the country for their own selfish ends. Unless the perpetrators of scams like this are given exemplary punishment, it is only a matter of time before the country is sold down the drain by its own people, only to be economically harnessed & colonized once again by a more disciplined foreign power.
