Senior Indian politician arrested

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A former chief minister of the eastern Indian state of Jharkhand has been arrested in connection with a corruption investigation.

Madhu Koda, an independent politician was arrested nearly two months after a case was registered against him.

Mr Koda is under investigation for for allegedly possessing assets disproportionate with his income and for alleged money laundering.

Mr Koda has denied the charges and says they are "politically motivated."

He had failed to appear before the authorities for questioning regarding a case of laundering money saying that he would be available only after elections in Jharkhand on 18 December.

Mr Koda, 38, was arrested in Chaibasa district on the instruction of India's Enforcement Directorate which investigates economic crimes, police said.

He is alleged to have laundered millions of dollars during his stints as chief minister of Jharkhand between 2006 and 2008.

For the past month, the Enforcement Directorate and income tax authorities have raided dozens of offices and homes all over the country to investigate the allegations against Mr Koda.

The Jharkhand vigilance department has also filed a case against Mr Koda and three former ministers, Bandhu Tirkey, Bhanu Pratap Shahi and Kamlesh Singh, for allegedly accepting bribes, reports say.