The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered 10 cases to probe a Rs 950 crore scam involving government funds being swindled to a non-government organisation in Bihar. The Rashtriya Janata Dal and Congress have alleged that BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi was the finance minister in the state when the rip-off called Srijan happened.

Cases have been registered under sections related to criminal conspiracy, cheating and forgery. The CBI has named late Manorama Devi, director of Srijan Mahila Vikas Samiti, current and former officials of several banks including Bank of Baroda, Oriental Bank of Commerce, Bhagalpur Central Cooperative Bank, Indian Bank at Bhagalpur and Saharsa districts, apart from unknown officials of Srijan and others.

The Bihar Police had issued a lookout notice against Srijan secretary Priya Kumar and her husband for allegedly swindling over Rs 950 crore of government money in Bhagalpur. Priya is Manorama devi's daughter-in-law, the founder of the NGO. Manorama Devi died early this year, after which Priya and her husband Amit took over.

The Srijan scam allegedly pertains to illegal transfer of government funds into accounts of an NGO in connivance with bank officials and government officials. So far, 15 persons have been arrested in connection to the case, though one key arrested accused, Mahesh Mandal, died earlier this month of an illness.

The scam was earlier being investigated by the Economic Offences Unit (EOU) of Bihar Police. The CBI took over the investigation after the Bihar government referred the case to it. They said the agency has received the reference from the Centre to take over the investigation and necessary documents have been received from the Bihar government on Saturday.

Interestingly, the agency has not invoked Prevention of Corruption Act in any of the FIR. Over which, the CBI explained that according to the norms, the agency re-registers the FIRs of the state police but is free to come out with its conclusion which is summed up in its final report.

On August 8, Bihar Chief minister Nitish Kumar brought the scam into the public domain while speaking at an event on World Earth day. He had said that the "culprits would be traced even from 'patal' and government money would be reclaimed at any cost."

THE SCAM