Four NGOs booked for multi-crore toilet scam

Cases were filed on Friday against two Bihar government officials and four NGOs for misappropriating government funds to the tune of over Rs 13.50 crore meant for construction of toilets in the state capital, a senior official said.

Patna District Magistrate Sanjay Agrawal said the FIR was lodged against the six a day after he ordered it.

"FIR has been lodged against PHED (Public Health Engineering Department) Executive Engineer Binay Kumar, department accountant Biteshwar Prasad Singh and four NGOs - Adishakti Sewa Sansthan, Maa Sarveshwari Sewa Sansthan, Satyam Shivam Kala Kendra and Shiv Sewa Sansthan," he said.

According to officials, the scam under Lohiya Swachh Bihar Abhiyan during 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2014-15 was detected by district officials. It was found that money meant for the beneficiaries was routed through four NGOs instead of making it available directly and there is no record that it finally reached the real beneficiaries.

"Two government officials helped four NGOs to get away with crores meant for toilet construction," an official said.

--IANS

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