The CBI has filed an FIR against the Srijan Mahilas Vikas Samiti and the Director, Bank of Baroda (Saharsa branch) in connection to Bihar's Srijan scam. An FIR as also been filed against the ex-director of the bank's Bhagalpur branch and the ex-cashier and head assistant at the Land Acquisition office.
The Rs 700 crore scam, which has taken Bihar by storm, is centered around the Bhagalpur-based Srijan Mahila Vikas Sahyog Samiti, which provides vocational training to women. The NGO has been accused of stealing funds from the Bhagalpur administration’s accounts for various welfare schemes. The pilfering allegedly occurred with the aid and support of government officials, bank employees and Srijan’s own staff, reports The Indian Express.
The scam was carried out through direct deposit of government funds into the accounts of the NGO, either through fake third-party endorsements or via forged cheques. It was exposed on 4 August after a government cheque of Rs 270 crore bounced.
After a series of internal inquiries, which reportedly led to nine FIRs and 12 arrests, the Nitish-Kumar led Bihar government ordered a CBI probe into the scam on 18 August.
Amid these developments, RJD Lalu Prasad Yadav called for Kumar's resignation and imprisonment, saying that he strongly suspected that the fear of Srijan scam had made Kumar a paltu ram (political turncoat) and form a new government with the Bharatiya Janata Party.
(With inputs from ANI)
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