CBI registers 4 more cases in Srijan scam

The CBI on Wednesday said that it has registered four more cases against eight persons in connection with the Srijan scam involving a Bhagalpur NGO that allegedly pilfered funds meant for government welfare schemes. A Central Bureau of Investigation official said that the cases have been registered under the sections of criminal conspiracy, breach of trust, cheating and forgery of valuable security.

According to the CBI FIR, the first case is against NGO Srijan Mahila Vikas Sahyog Samiti Ltd president Shubhlaxmi Prasad and nine other office-bearers of the organisation. The case was registered on Tuesday.

In the second case, the agency has booked the former senior branch manager of the Bank of Baroda, Bhagalpur, its cashier, former District Welfare Officer Arun Kumar, Srijan’s cashier, its other employees and unknown others.

In the third case the agency booked the current manager of Bank of Baroda’s Bhagalpur branch, then branch manager of Indian Bank and all office-bearers of Srijan.
And in the fourth case, it named the then Land Acquisition Officer of Bihar’s Banka district, all office-bearers of Srijan and the then branch managers of the Indian Bank and the Bank of Baroda.

The Srijan scam involves Bhagalpur-based NGO Srijan Mahila Vikas Sahyog Samiti Ltd, which used to provide vocational training to women. The NGO allegedly pilfered funds meant for government welfare schemes from the bank accounts of the Bhagalpur district administration. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had on August 18, 2017, recommended the CBI to probe the Srijan scam, after RJD chief Lalu Prasad accused him of “murdering democracy” in Bihar.