Ranchi, Aug 1: Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda yesterday claimed that he was the only accused in the country who had been in jail for a record 44 months without being proved guilty.
"This was the first case in the country where I was kept in jail for so long a period without being proved guilty," Koda told reporters immediately after stepping out of the jail after obtaining bail in the last of his five cases pertaining to corruption charges.
"And I will place before the court how I had been kept in jail for so long a period. I have faith in the judiciary and will prove my innocence," he added.
The Lok Sabha member, who had his residence fogged by mosquito machine soon after reaching at Deen Dayal Nagar from the Birsa Munda Jail here, said he would go to the people to serve them.
His former cabinet colleagues, Kamlesh Singh, Enos Ekka, Harinarain Rai and Bhanu Pratap Sahi were earlier released on bail in connection with various corruption charges.
Koda, whose MLA wife Geeta supports the UPA government in Jharkhand led by Hemant Soren, said, "Injustice has been done to me".
He was in jail after being arrested on November 30, 2009 during Lok Sabha campaigning in Chaibasa, which he won that year.
His arrest came after the Enforcement Directorate, the CBI and the Income Tax department had accused him and his aides of money laundering, illegal investments, property ownership in foreign countries.
Initially the IT had in November, 2009 alleged that Koda and his alleged aides had indulged in corruption to the tune of Rs 2,500 crore, which allegedly went up to Rs 4000 crore during the course of investigation.
