Srijan Scam: CBI arrests former Banka ADM for diverting govt funds

The NGO, providing vocational training to women and selling pickles, allegedly siphoned off more than 1,000 crore from various accounts of the Bhagalpur, Banka and Saharasa district administrations for at least half-a-dozen welfare schemes. (Representational image)

The CBI on Monday arrested former Banka ADM Jayshree Thakur in connection with multi-crore Srijan scam.

The scam involves diversion of funds from government bank accounts to the account of an NGO, the Srijan Mahila Udyog Vikas Samiti Limited, in alleged connivance with government officials, bankers and NGO functionaries. The NGO, providing vocational training to women and selling pickles, allegedly siphoned off more than 1,000 crore from various accounts of the Bhagalpur, Banka and Saharasa district administrations for at least half-a-dozen welfare schemes.

Thakur, who was earlier posted as the land acquisition officer of Banka district, allegedly diverted the funds between 2004 and 2013. After nine FIRs and 12 arrests, the Bihar government had ordered a CBI probe last August. Thakur, was dismissed as ADM by the Bihar government in 2017.