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How long bureaucrat-political nexus could be saved? CBI gears up to interrogate IASs after AG-Patna’s report holds them responsible for Srijan scam

@news5pm

August 14th, 2018

Our Bureau/

CBI probing the multi crores Srijan scam yet not grilled any bureaucrat but it now becomes the compulsion for the central investigating agency to interrogate some former IASs along with others who earlier were posted as district magistrates , deputy development commissioners (DDCs) and others.

CBI has been preparing for interrogating some top ranking former district officials including IAS officials for knowing the exact reason of their conducts of favouring Srijan NGO while ignoring all norms and regulations. The officials, including two former district magistrates and some others including some the than deputy development commissioners (DDC) posted at Bhagalpur are already summoned by CBI Delhi headquarters.

CBI tentatively would interrogate the officials separately after August 15, sources indicated. The source claimed that after nearly after one year’s fanatic search of some letters and documents earlier written by the official concerned which also considered as the starting point of the fraudulent committed by Srijan and its nexuses.

Soon after taking charge of Srijan investigation in hands, CBI asked the then district magistrate, Bhagalpur Adesh Titarmare on August 2017 to find out the letters and document concerned in which one DDC in 2000 asked all block development officers (BDOs) in Bhagalpur district to deposit their funds with Srijan’ banks. Such order was circulated after the directive of the than district magistrate, Bhagalpur. Subsequently, in 2007, another the than district magistrate in his letters to all BDOs and other officials concerned in government departments, directed not to deposit any government amount to Srijan’s bank. CBI alleged that after the issuance of such directive, government funds were started illegal transferring to Srijan’s accounts by different methods.

CBI is also in the search of the letter and documents of official concerned by which Srijan managed to acquire TRYSEM’s building located in the campus of Sabour block in the district. Interestingly enough, even after passing one year neither district administration nor the CBI managed to find out such important letters and documents.

In the meantime, a team from auditor general (AG), Patna also tried to search the same documents, but in vain. “Those letters and documents are also very essential for us in our investigation,” a team member pointed out on condition of anonymity. However sources disclosed that the recent Audit Findings, a complied report by AG (Patna) hold the official concerned responsible for entire Srijan game. “ CBI also convinced with the Audit finding by AG (Patna) and the than official concerned now became the last option to crake the mystery of loss of the documents from district collectorate, Bhagalpur. So the CBI has decided to grill the official concerned,” the source pointed out.

It is to be mentioned here the AG (Patna) in the Audit Findings hold the official concerned responsible for entire Srijan episode as it mentioned : “internal control mechanism had deficiencies and these were serious supervisory lapses. In test-check officials cases of transactions not entered in cashbook, non preparation of bank reconciliation statement, non reflecting of cash and bank balance in the cash book etc were noted. Several bank statements available in the test-checked officials didn’t match with those provided by concerned bank to the audit. Government may fic responsibly for all the financial irregularities and supervisory lapses after a detailed investigation of financial transaction of all the DDOs (drawing and disbursing officials) with Srijan since January 1996 including the banks, treasury and supervisory officials at district and state level.”

AG (Patna) highlighted 6 vital points in the Audit findings as i) violation of financial rules by DDOs, ii) fraudulent fund transfer to Srijan’s bank accounts, iii) frequency of fraudulent transfers to and from Srijan across the year iv) covering up of fraudulent transfer to Srjan, v) non compliance of previous audit observations and vi) deficient internal control.

The AG-Patna’s Audit findings however did not allege banks’ role or roles of others like income tax department yet in Srijan episode, pointed out experts in economic experts here.


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