Srijan scam: Enforcement Directorate to file laundering case

New Delhi: A day after CBI registered four fresh FIRs in the Srijan scam, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is now preparing to initiate a fresh money laundering probe against three senior state-level politicians as part of its investigation into the scam.

According to sources, the ED will register fresh cases in the multi-crore Srijan scam on the basis of an FIR filed by the CBI. “The names of three state level politicians in connection with the scam may appear in the fresh cases,” sources said.

The CBI on Wednesday registered four more cases in connection with Srijan scam in Bihar in which government funds of over Rs 800 crore were allegedly embezzled by an NGO.

The CBI booked all the office bearers of the NGO ‘Srijan Mahila Vikas Sahyog Samiti’ in these cases along with the then branch managers of Indian Bank, Bank of Baroda, besides land acquisition officer, Banka, Bihar. President of Srijan Shubhlaxmi Prasad and nine other office-bearers of the voluntary group have also been named in one of the FIRs.

It is alleged that the group which was working towards imparting training to women had pilfered over Rs 800 crore in connivance with the bank and state government officials between 2003 and 2014.

The CBI has already booked several bureaucrats of the state government in connection with the case. Sources said, “CBI investigations into the scam revealed that entries in certain bank accounts of the accused NGO—Srijan Mahila Vikas Sahyog Samiti (SMVSS)—were made even after they (accounts) were closed. There are allegations that local politicians played crucial role in making illegal entries in the bank accounts of the accused NGO”.