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Patna, Aug 24: Just two days after Mahesh Mandal, one of the accused arrested in the Rs 1,000-crore Srijan scam in Bihar’s Bhagalpur district, died in judicial custody, reports say one more accused has died. Naveen, said to be ‘kingpin’ who knew all secrets of the scam, has died in a hospital in Bhagalpur.
According to Hindi daily Dainik Jagran, Naveen was right hand of Manorama Devi, secretary of Srijan NGO. Naveen suffered heart attack 20 days ago and was admitted at Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College & Hospital in Bhagalpur and he died there.
The opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) had raised questions over Mahesh Mandal’s sudden demise three days ago.
ALSO READ: Srijan scam accused dies in Bihar hospital
“It is a mysterious death. Is it going the Vyapam scam way as in Madhya Pradesh — where one after the other the accused and witnesses died,” RJD Vice President Shivanand Tiwari said.
Congress had also demanded a High Court-monitored probe into the scam and resignation of chief minister Nitish Kumar.
Commenting on Naveen’s death today, RJD leader and former deputy chief minister of Bihar Tejashwi Yadav tweeted: सृजन घोटाले के किंगपिन नवीन की भी भागलपुर में मौत।मनोरमा देवी का था सबसे विश्वासी सहयोगी।पूरे घोटाले की थी जानकारी।उसका लैपटॉप भी ग़ायब। (Kingpin of Srijan scam Naveen also died in Bhagalpur, was confidante of Manorama Devi, had all knowledge of the scam, his laptop is also missing).
Centre approves CBI probe into Bihar Srijan scam
The central government has given its consent for a CBI probe into the Rs 1,000-crore Srijan scam in Bihar, an official said on Thursday.
Additional Director General of Bihar Police S.K. Singhal told the media here that the Home Ministry has given its consent for a CBI probe into the Srijan scam. “Now the Central Bureau of Investigation will investigate it,” he said.
According to him, so far 14 FIRs have been lodged and 18 accused have been arrested by the Special Investigation Team of Bihar Police, which began a probe into the scam after an order by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
The opposition RJD has repeatedly alleged that it is a mega scam in which government funds were transferred to private accounts between 2005 and 2013 when current Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi was Finance Minister and Nitish Kumar was Chief Minister.
“Both are responsible and they should resign,” Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav said.
Last week, after the Rashtriya Janata Dal demanded a CBI probe into the “mega scam”, the Chief Minister on August 17 recommended the same. But now the RJD is demanding a Supreme Court-monitored CBI probe into it.
RJD chief Lalu Prasad said he strongly suspects ‘foul play’ behind the delay in investigation into the Srijan scam which involves Nitish Kumar and Sushil Modi.
“The state government is destroying all evidence to save Nitish Kumar and Modi,” he said.
The Srijan scam involves a Bhagalpur-based NGO, Srijan Mahila Vikas Sahyog Samiti Ltd, which used to provide vocational training to women. The NGO allegedly pilfered funds meant for government welfare schemes from the bank accounts of the Bhagalpur district administration.
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With inputs from IANS
