New Delhi: The CBI, probing the multi-crore Srijan scam in Bihar, has quizzed three former senior administrative officers who were posted in Bhagalpur district of Bihar when the scam took place. The agency, sources said, also examined two former senior district revenue officers of Bhagalpur, who had allegedly cleared cheques, worth several crores, in favour of the accused NGO Srijan.
Sources said, “Investigation by the CBI has revealed that several cheques issued by the banks were transferred to different accounts of Srijan Mahila Vikash Sahyog Samiti Limited (a NGO) by these administrative officials”. They played a crucial role in diverting government funds to the accounts of Srijan, they added.
The CBI recently registered 10 FIRs to probe the Srijan scam in which government funds worth about Rs 1,000 crore were allegedly diverted to the accounts of a non-government organisation. The agency booked Bhagalpur based-NGO — Srijan Mahila Vikas Samiti — in connection with the case. Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar had on August 18 recommended the CBI to probe into the Srijan scam, after RJD chief Lalu Prasad accused him of “murdering democracy” in Bihar. The RJD chief, Mr Lalu Prasad Yadav, has been on the offensive against Mr Kumar and deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi over the Srijan scam.
Sources said, “Srijan is accused of embezzling crores of money from different accounts of district administration with the alleged connivance of government officials and bank staff on the pretext of several welfare schemes”. Probe by the Bihar police revealed involvement of nationalised banks, government officials and employees in the fraudulent withdrawal of government funds in three districts of Bhagalpur, Banka and Saharsa, they said.
