Did Nira Radia broker mining deal with Koda?- 2010-11-22

Did Nira Radia broker mining deal with Koda?

By: J Dey Date: 2010-11-22 Place: Mumbai

(WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO OUR COUNTRY,IF CORRUPTION WON'T GET CHECKED STRICTLY.ONLY FEW RESIGNATIONS WON'T DO,IT NEEDED TO BE PROBED TILL END,TILL BOTTOM,TO ERADICATE IT!!!....VIBHA)

CBI phone intercepts reveal ex-Jharkhand Chief Minister received Rs 180-crore payoff from Radia's client for extending mining lease

Corporate lobbyist Nira Radia's name has surfaced again, this time for allegedly facilitating mining deals between corporate houses and jailed former Jharkhand chief minister Madhu Koda.

This after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) filed a charge sheet last week against Koda and two of his associates for receiving payoffs towards allotment of land for iron ore mining.


A confidential document from the office of Director General Income Tax (investigation) reveals that former Jharkhand chief minister Madhu Koda and his associates had sought the payoff and Nira Radia had got the lease of the land for her client

The needle of suspicion points to Radia for her role in extending the mines lease on behalf of one of India's largest corporate (name withheld). Apparently, Koda had sought a payoff of Rs 180 crore for the land's allotment.

This disclosure was made after the CBI and the Income Tax intelligence wing had tapped telephone lines of some corporate honchos earlier this year.

This was done after they were suspected of playing a role in clinching favourable government deals for themselves.

A copy of a top secret and strictly confidential document from the office of Director General Income Tax (investigation) reveals that Koda and his associates had sought the payoff and Radia had got the lease of the land for her client.

Telephone interceptions (copy with MiD DAY) indicate that Radia and her associates were paid Rs 1 crore by her client as baksheesh for handling the case successfully.

While it is still not clear whether Radia made the payoffs, telephone intercepts indicate that Koda received
Rs 180 crore as payoff for the lease of the mines.

The CBI has filed a case against Koda and his associates under Section 120B read with sections 9 and 13 (2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

However, they have put the initial amount of payoff for Koda at Rs 13 crore, with the number set to increase as the investigation unfolds.

CBI's spokesperson G Mohanti was not available for comments. But a senior officer said that investigations on the other aspects of the case are on track.

Telephonic interceptions by the CBI and Income Tax department between Radia and some top industrialists in connection with the 2G Spectrum scam had already put her in a tight spot.

Her involvement in the mining scam might further add to her woes.

Rs 1 crore
Amount allegedly paid to Radia as baksheesh for brokering the deal

The Other Side

When MiD DAY contacted Radia on her cell phone yesterday about the reports, a female voice said, "I am her sister. This is utter nonsense."

Later, the spokesperson from Radia's company Vaishnavi Corporate Communication contacted this newspaper and denied the reports.

"The CBI and Income Tax papers are fabricated," informed the spokesperson, who did not wish to be named.