Ranchi, Nov 12 (IANS) The Income Tax (IT) department Thursday told the Jharkhand High Court that it had made a recovery of over Rs.23 lakh and a few thousand US dollars in cash during searches at 69 places of former chief minister Madhu Koda and his associates.

"The IT department has shown seizure of Rs.23.65 lakh and $3,430 during the search operation conducted at 69 places of Koda and other people," said Rajiv Kumar, lawyer of Durga Oraon who had filed a public interest litigation (PIL).

The Jharkhand High Court, however, expressed dissatisfaction with the submission by the IT department and said that it wanted specific details of what amount of money had been recovered and from where.

The court Nov 5 sought the details of the IT searches. It asked the IT officials to submit a detailed investigation report. The next hearing is slated for Nov 26.

"The IT commissioner in an affidavit said that the raids and search operation were conducted by their investigation wing and the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The IT commissioner has assured the court that a detailed investigation report would be submitted after getting the report from the investigation wing and the ED. The final report of the investigation would be submitted by Jan 20," Kumar said.

IT and ED had conducted searches at 69 places of Koda and his associates in eight Indian cities. Koda is facing charges of laundering Rs.2,500 crore.

Arrest warrants have been issued against Koda's associates Vinod Sinha and Sanjay Chaudhary after they failed to appear before the IT department investigators. The Jharkhand CID Thursday sounded an alert to arrest both of them.