Ranchi – Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda has once again found himself at the receiving end of the Jharkhand High Court’s disapproval. On Friday, the court fined him ₹8,000 for seeking another adjournment in a case involving alleged corruption in the Rajiv Gandhi Rural Electrification Scheme.
This marks the fourth such fine imposed on Koda, following earlier penalties of ₹1,000, ₹2,000, and ₹4,000 in December, January, and March respectively—taking the total to ₹15,000. The court has directed all fines be deposited with JHALSA.
The High Court was hearing Koda’s petition challenging the framing of charges against him, when his lawyer asked for more time. This repeated delay angered the bench, resulting in the latest penalty.
Koda is accused of accepting ₹11.40 crore in bribes from a blacklisted Hyderabad firm, allegedly awarding them a contract for electrifying six districts. The CBI, which is investigating the case, has filed charges of criminal misconduct and abuse of power.
The electrification project, funded under the central government’s RGGVY scheme in 2006, was aimed at covering over 27,000 villages and benefiting nearly 30 lakh rural families. Koda was earlier jailed for two and a half years before being released on bail in 2013.
With inputs from IANS