Ranchi, Nov 30 (IANS) Former Jharkhand chief minister Madhu Koda was Monday arrested for his alleged role in a Rs.2,500-crore money laundering scam, a police official said.

Inspector General of Police (Vigilance) M.V. Rao said Koda was arrested in Chaibasa and is being brought to the state capital here by a police team. Chaibasa is about 200 km from here.

Koda would be produced before a vigilance court in Ranchi, Rao said.

The vigilance department had asked Koda to appear before it for questioning Nov 27, but he failed to do so. According to sources, Koda told the vigilance bureau he was busy in election campaigning and would appear before it after the five-phased Jharkhand assembly polls end Dec 18.

Koda is alleged to have laundered thousands of crores of rupees during his stint as the chief minister between 2006 and 2008.

Since Oct 31, the Income Tax department and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) have conducted raids at 69 places in eight Indian cities, including at Koda's home. Koda, however, insists the raids were politically motivated.