Lalu Yadav alleges 'foul play' behind delay in CBI probe into Srijan scam

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav on Wednesday alleged of a 'foul play' behind the delay in investigation into the Srijan scam, which involves Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

"I want to know what happened to the report, when in 2013 the crime branch investigated the whole matter," Lalu said, while addressing a press conference.

"Why was the District Officer, investigating during the time, transferred? An answer has to be given by Nitish Kumar. The people involved in the scam are not even capable of answering. What happened to the report by the District Officer?," Lalu kept firing questions to Nitish and aide.

Lalu also alleged that to save himself from the scam, Nitish Kumar is 'destroying' all the evidence.

"The CAG has highlighted the statutory irregularities in its 2008 report, but why was the matter suppressed?" Lalu Prasad Yadav said.

Meanwhile, Sushil Modi has called his predecessor and Lalu Yadav's son Tejashwi Yadav's protests in the Assembly premises demanding the latter's resignation in connection with the Srijan scam as 'shameful.'

Speaking to ANI, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader said, "People are facing hardships due to floods, the Chief Minister is conducting surveys, whole Bihar government is busy in providing relief to the victims, over 1.5 crore population of Bihar is affected by floods and the main opposition party (RJD) is organising a rally at this time. This is shameful."

The Rs. 1,000-crore Bhagalpur Srijan scam, which has created a political fuss in Bihar politics, involves transferring of government funds to private accounts between 2005 and 2013, when Sushil Modi was the finance minister.

According to reports, the public money which was kept in the state government and the district administration bank accounts had been diverted to the bank accounts of a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) Srijan, its employees and bank officials.

The NGO was founded by Manorma Devi and is being run by her son and his wife after her death.