Srijan scam: Assets of key accused confiscated

BHAGALPUR: In a joint move, the CBI and the district administration on the directions of special CBI court began the process of attaching the properties of accused couple Amit Kumar and Rajni Priya in the multi-crore Srijan scam, officials said.

The attachment process started from the couple’s house located in the New Vikramshila Colony under the Tilkamanjhi police station area of Bhagalpur town, sources said.

It may be worth mentioning that Srijan Mahila Vikas Sahyog Samiti (SMVSS), a co-operative society registered under the Bihar and Orissa Cooperative Societies Act of 1935, founded by the late Manorama Devi in early 1990, is under CBI probe after the scam came to light. The chargesheet has named Manorama’s son Amit Kumar and daughter-in-law Rajni Priya, apart from two IAS officers.

Altogether 15 immovable properties including residential houses, flats, shops, commercial buildings and establishments, lands, vehicles and other movable properties worth several crores besides bank accounts have so far been identified by the CBI and district administration for sealing and attachment.

“The process of attachment and confiscation is being done under Section 83 of the CrPC,” said a district official preferring anonymity. “Subsequently, steps for securitization and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Securities Interest Act, 2002 (also known as the SARFAESI Act) to realize the swindled money would be initiated,” said district administration sources.

The CBI has filed three chargesheets in the Rs 1,000 -crore Srijan scam against over 60 persons.

CM Nitish Kumar had formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Economic Offence Unit (EOU) and ordered for inquiry in the first week of August 2017. Altogether 22 FIRs were registered against the scamsters including the managing committee members of the SMVSS and several others were arrested by the SIT before the CBI took over the investigation, the magnitude of which is stated to have crossed over Rs 1900 crore.

Large amount of government funds were fraudulently transferred between 2004 and 2014 in accounts of SMVSS. The SMVSS reportedly pilfered government funds meant for various welfare schemes from the Bhagalpur district administration’s accounts to its bank account in connivance with some district officials, bankers and its staff.