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Bhagalpur : In a setback to the on going investigation into Rs 664 crore government fund transfer into the account of NGO Srijan Mahaila Vikas Sahyog Samiti Limited, one of its main accused of the scam Mahesh Mandal, a Nazir in Special Land Acquisition office, Bhagalpur, died at Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and Hospital, Bhagalpur, on August 20, 2017, night. He was brought over to the hospital at 10.17 pm and died at 10.37 pm on August 20, according Medical Superintendent of the Hospital Dr Ram Charitra Mandal.
Bhagalpur range DIG Vikas Vaibhav while confirming the death of Mandal said that he was suffering from kidney ailment and diabetes and used to visit the hospital thrice a week for treatment including dialysis. He denied any medical negligence in his treatment resulting in Mandal’s death. The DIG said that Mandal was arrested on August 14, 2017.
Police has so far arrested 18 persons including District Welfare Officer, Bhagalpur, District Co-operative Officer, Supaul, Pankaj Jha. However, two key accused of the scam Amit Kumar and his wife Priya Kumari are still at large. DIG Vaibhav said that police were searching for them. Amit Kumar is son of Srijan founder late Manorma Devi. Replying to a query, the DIG said that the scam begun in 2007.
Some of the former DMs of Bhagalpur, who held the post from 2007 onward, are likely to be quizzed by police soon to ascertain whether the government fund was transferred into Srijan account under their signature. The maximum fund that is over Rs 150 crore was transferred into Srijan’s account allegedly during the tenure of Birendra Kumar Yadav. All the former DMs have claimed their signature were forged by the scamsters.
A senior police office said that police will also take the smaples of signature of these former DMs and tally them with the signature on the file ordering for government fund transfer into Srijan’s account. The signature samples of former DMs and those on the file ordering for fund transfer would be sent to Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) for test. Bihar CM Nitish Kumar has already recommended for CBI probe into the Srijan fund scam.