FIR against Forbesganj BDO for Rs 42 lakh fraud

FORBESGANJ: An FIR has been lodged against former Forbesganj BDO and a supply agency proprietor for embezzlement of fund of over Rs 42 lakh in the purchase of solar lights for various panchayats across Forbesganj block in Araria district.
The swindling of the funds came to light after an inquiry by a team constituted by Forbesganj SDO. The SDO ordered the inquiry on the direction given by Araria DM Narendra Kumar Singh, who came across the foul play during his visit to the block recently, official sources said.
According to information, the panchayat samitis had floated the tenders under the BRGF scheme during the fiscal year 2012-13 for providing 107 solar lights in 27 panchayats in Forbesganj block. The contract was awarded to Patna-based Jay Trimurthy Traders. Though the scheme was targeted to be completed by 2013-14, the fund of Rs 42 lakh was allegedly siphoned off and solar lights were never installed, sources said.
Forbesganj SDO Subhash Narayan told TOI on Tuesday that an FIR has been lodged against former BDO Kishore Kumar Das and the agency’s proprietor Bam Bahadur Singh, charging them with gobbling up funds.
Former BDO Kishore Kumar Das has a bad track record as he was arrested in connection with a scam in Indira Awas Yojana (IAY) in the district. He has already been reverted to his parent statistics department, sources said.
Against the backdrop of this scam in Forbesganj block, other blocks are now under the scanner, sources pointed out.