Our Bureau/

Amit Kumar and Priya Kumar are returning to Bhagalpur? Like many suspects in Srijan scam who virtually overcome the fear of their arresting, Amit and Priya too likely to appear before the CBI soon despite the fact that Bhagalpur police already issued warrant of arresting against the couple along with former land acquisition officer, Rajiv Ranjan Singh.

Rumours are ripe in every corner of Bhagalpur with such speculations mostly generated through media. Observers however blamed media for playing a game to divert main issues from the Srijan scam episode. “ More than one month has passed and why not a single big fish is caught or the names of influential bureaucrats and politicians involved in the scam yet not exposed. Why only the gossip stories of characters like Bipin Sharma still bouncing here?” the observers pointed out.

It was stated that some suspected prime accused (of SIT) in Srijan case who were absconding, now surfaced and reportedly appeared before the CBI’s camp office at Bihar Agricultural University (BAU), Sabour campus.

Sources claimed that, following the notice served by CBI, some suspected accused of Srijan case (actually they were wanted by the SIT earlier) who managed to abscond to evade their arresting by SIT, returned back to Bhagalpur and even appeared before the CBI to clarify their stands. Vipin Sharma, P K Ghosh, Kishore Ghosh appeared before CBI and represented their claims of innocence in the scam. Md Ansar (driver of Late Monorama Devi) who was absconded also returned back and his family members compelled him to visit CBI.  The sources also claimed that Purnaunu , a charted account who used to conduct the audits of Srijan and wanted by SIT earlier, was also appeared before the CBI here. “It was my utter compulsion  to leave this city because I apprehended the worst from SIT  which was all set to arrest me and forcefully dragged my name in the case.  But when I received the notice from CBI, I meet the CBI office inside BAU, Sabour. The official concerned interrogated me and I too gave them many documents related to Srijan and disclosed many important information before the officials. I tried my level best to establish my innocence before them. The CBI officials asked to me stay at Bhagalpur and also told me that I would have to meet them whenever they will call me,” said one among the suspected persons here.

CBI however yet not confirmed about such recent developments. A senior lawyer here said since the persons concerned are not made accused in the case, there arresting could not possible. “Secondly, the team of CBI present at here only concentrates on documentation works. The arresting of any person could be possible by CBI only after confirmation of his/her involvements in the scam,” he pointed out. He further pointed out that in policing, local authority concerned is authorized to take immediate action like arresting while CBI arrests anyone only after foolproof evidences along with proper consent from senior officials concerned.

Echoing Jha, a senior cop here who was also in SIT team earlier, said that on the basic of suspected, the SIT team earlier conducted raids at the houses and other establishments of the persons concerned and recovered many important documents. “Their involvement in the scam was apparently clear but when we were preparing for their arresting, CBI taken over the case. And it gave them opportunity to flee away,” the officer pointed out.

However, observers alleged the mode of investigation conducted by the agencies like CBI. “It’s very funny that initially the EOU and SIT had started investigating Srijan scam in the pattern of chit fund companies like Sarda or other non-banking units which rocked Bengal and other parts of the country in recent years. Due to lack of proper knowledge on financial affairs, they virtually failed to distinguish the quantum of crime by the chit fund companies and the Srijan persons. Chit fund companies were making fools mostly to innocent small depositors while Srijan people managed to put intellectual bureaucrats in dark while playing the big fraud with huge government amount,” they pointed out.

They further alleged that the investigating agencies like SIT earlier did not bother to touch higher officials on the pretext that their signatures might be forged by some sub ordinate officials, but failed to understand the intensity of such big fraudulent in which top ranking officials could not evade their responsibilities. “Most interestingly, when MP LADE funds were transferred to Srijan’s account how the concerned politician or the concerned higher officer could deny their responsibilities?” the asked further.

The observers alleged that the slow space in investigation has raised doubt over the intention of the investigating agencies. Where as the delay also helped the real accused to enjoy time to mage for self-defenses. Where as the persons like Binod Kumar, driver of arrested banker Ajay Pandey would have to spend times inside jail, they raised question.

“Much interestingly, SIT earlier established Bindo’s relation with the crime as he used to carry the cheques given by his master Ajay Pandey to deliver. Did a person like Binod know the intensity of the crime or  did he aware of what type of crime he was committing? Than why a district magistrate like officer could be spare when huge government funds were diverted to Srijan like NGO from his custody?” the observers raised pertinent questions.