PATNA: Four major scams have surfaced during the last one year in the state otherwise known for 'rule of law' and 'sushashan'.
The SC/ST scholarship scam to the tune of at least Rs10 crore surfaced in November last year. Central government's scholarship funds meant for technical education of scheduled caste and schedule tribe students were embezzled in financial year 2013-2014. The vigilance investigation bureau lodged an FIR on November 29 last year against the then scheduled caste and schedule tribe welfare department principal secretary S M Raju, a 1991 batch IAS officer, and four other government officials. Four officials of two private colleges located in Visakhapatnam and Guntur and six touts were also named accused.
In the scam, SC/ST youths from across the state were trapped by touts and enrolled in private colleges. After their admission, these students returned home but the scholarship amount in their name continued to be disbursed to the colleges.
The second one, popularly known as Srijan scam, surfaced on August 7 this year and the first FIR was lodged in Bhagalpur district. The exact misappropriated amount is yet not known, but it is above Rs1,000 crore, sources said. Funds kept in government bank accounts were diverted into the bank accounts of Srijan Mahila Vikas Sahyog Samiti, which claimed to be working for the uplift of women.
CBI investigation made till now have found the roots of Srijan scam back in 2007, just two years after CM Nitish Kumar-led JD(U) came to power with the BJP in the state.
The other two scams surfaced in quick succession in the last two months. An FIR was lodged by vigilance investigation bureau in the Mahadalit scam on October 23 this year. Central government funds of at least Rs5.01 crore for imparting skills like spoken English and computer literacy to Mahadalit youths through Bihar Mahadalit Vikas Mission were embezzled between 2010 and 2016. Raju, accused in the SC/ST scholarship scam, is also one of the prime accused in this case as well.
On November 2 this year, toilet scam of around Rs15 crore surfaced in Patna. Government funds for constructing toilets in rural areas were embezzled by disbursing the amount to four NGOs between May 1 and June 23 last year.
The SC/ST scholarship scam to the tune of at least Rs10 crore surfaced in November last year. Central government's scholarship funds meant for technical education of scheduled caste and schedule tribe students were embezzled in financial year 2013-2014. The vigilance investigation bureau lodged an FIR on November 29 last year against the then scheduled caste and schedule tribe welfare department principal secretary S M Raju, a 1991 batch IAS officer, and four other government officials. Four officials of two private colleges located in Visakhapatnam and Guntur and six touts were also named accused.
In the scam, SC/ST youths from across the state were trapped by touts and enrolled in private colleges. After their admission, these students returned home but the scholarship amount in their name continued to be disbursed to the colleges.
The second one, popularly known as Srijan scam, surfaced on August 7 this year and the first FIR was lodged in Bhagalpur district. The exact misappropriated amount is yet not known, but it is above Rs1,000 crore, sources said. Funds kept in government bank accounts were diverted into the bank accounts of Srijan Mahila Vikas Sahyog Samiti, which claimed to be working for the uplift of women.
CBI investigation made till now have found the roots of Srijan scam back in 2007, just two years after CM Nitish Kumar-led JD(U) came to power with the BJP in the state.
The other two scams surfaced in quick succession in the last two months. An FIR was lodged by vigilance investigation bureau in the Mahadalit scam on October 23 this year. Central government funds of at least Rs5.01 crore for imparting skills like spoken English and computer literacy to Mahadalit youths through Bihar Mahadalit Vikas Mission were embezzled between 2010 and 2016. Raju, accused in the SC/ST scholarship scam, is also one of the prime accused in this case as well.
On November 2 this year, toilet scam of around Rs15 crore surfaced in Patna. Government funds for constructing toilets in rural areas were embezzled by disbursing the amount to four NGOs between May 1 and June 23 last year.
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