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One of 13 key accused in Bihar’s Rs 1000 crore Srijan Scam dies in Bhagalpur hospital

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One of 13 key accused in Bihar’s Rs 1000 crore Srijan Scam dies in Bhagalpur hospital

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Mahesh Mandal, a Bhagalpur District Welfare Department Accountant (nazir), was arrested on August 13 and sent to jail two days later. He was reportedly suffering from severe renal ailments and died of kidney failure.

Mahesh Mandal, a key accused in Bihar’s Rs 1000 crore Srijan scam who had been arrested and remanded to judicial custody last week, died on Sunday night at a hospital in the state’s Bhagalpur district.

Mandal, accused of acting as a conduit between the Bhagalpur district administration and the NGO that allegedly siphoned off crores of rupees of government funds – Srijan Mahila Vikas Sahyog Samiti – was reportedly suffering from severe kidney-related ailments and diabetes. He was rushed to the Mayaganj hospital, on Sunday night, after his condition is said to have deteriorated.

“He (Mandal) had a kidney and sugar problem for which he had been under medical treatment. When his condition deteriorated on Sunday night, he was sent to Mayaganj hospital where he died”, Ramanuj Kumar, jailer of the Bhagalpur Central Jail where Mandal had been lodged since August 15, told media persons in Bhagalpur.

The sudden death of Mandal comes as a fresh twist in the Srijan scam which has created a major political uproar in Bihar that recently saw the formation of a new coalition government between Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (United) and the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Mandal’s family members alleged foul play in his death and went on a violent protest at the hospital premises on Sunday night. They claimed that his poor health condition Mandal was not provided access to adequate medical treatment in the Bhagalpur Central Jail premises because the “authorities knew that he was going to make major revelations regarding the Srijan scam which had have sent several important people to jail”.

Opposition parties – Lalu Prasad Yadav’s Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Congress party – have upped the ante against the Nitish Kumar government over the Srijan scam. Kumar had, kast week, been forced to recommend a CBI inquiry into the Srijan Scam.

Lalu, whose party ran the Bihar government in coalition with Nitish till the recent collapse of the Mahagathbandhan, made it a point to highlight on micro-blogging website Twitter that Mandal was the father of a “very rich JD (U) leader”.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_raw_html]JTNDYmxvY2txdW90ZSUyMGNsYXNzJTNEJTIydHdpdHRlci10d2VldCUyMiUyMGRhdGEtbGFuZyUzRCUyMmVuJTIyJTNFJTNDcCUyMGxhbmclM0QlMjJoaSUyMiUyMGRpciUzRCUyMmx0ciUyMiUzRSVFMCVBNCVCOCVFMCVBNSU4MyVFMCVBNCU5QyVFMCVBNCVBOCUyMCVFMCVBNCVBRSVFMCVBNCVCOSVFMCVBNCVCRSVFMCVBNCU5OCVFMCVBNSU4QiVFMCVBNCU5RiVFMCVBNCVCRSVFMCVBNCVCMiVFMCVBNSU4NyUyMCVFMCVBNCVBRSVFMCVBNSU4NyVFMCVBNCU4MiUyMCVFMCVBNCVBQSVFMCVBNCVCOSVFMCVBNCVCMiVFMCVBNSU4MCUyMCVFMCVBNCVBRSVFMCVBNSU4QyVFMCVBNCVBNCVFMCVBNSVBNCUyMDEzJTIwJUUwJUE0JTk3JUUwJUE0JUJGJUUwJUE0JUIwJUUwJUE0JUFCJUUwJUE0JUJDJUUwJUE1JThEJUUwJUE0JUE0JUUwJUE0JUJFJUUwJUE0JUIwJTIwJUUwJUE0JTg5JUUwJUE0JUE4JUUwJUE0JUFFJUUwJUE1JTg3JUUwJUE0JTgyJTIwJUUwJUE0JUI4JUUwJUE1JTg3JTIwJUUwJUE0JThGJUUwJUE0JTk1JTIwJUUwJUE0JTk1JUUwJUE1JTgwJTIwJUUwJUE0JUFFJUUwJUE1JThDJUUwJUE0JUE0JUUwJUE1JUE0JUUwJUE0JUFFJUUwJUE0JUIwJUUwJUE0JUE4JUUwJUE1JTg3JTIwJUUwJUE0JUI1JUUwJUE0JUJFJUUwJUE0JUIyJUUwJUE0JUJFJTIwJUUwJUE0JUFEJUUwJUE0JUJFJUUwJUE0JTk3JUUwJUE0JUIyJUUwJUE0JUFBJUUwJUE1JTgxJUUwJUE0JUIwJTIwJUUwJUE0JUFFJUUwJUE1JTg3JUUwJUE0JTgyJTIwJUUwJUE0JUE4JUUwJUE1JTgwJUUwJUE0JUE0JUUwJUE1JTgwJUUwJUE0JUI2JTIwJUUwJUE0JTk1JUUwJUE1JTgwJTIwJUUwJUE0JUFBJUUwJUE0JUJFJUUwJUE0JUIwJUUwJUE1JThEJUUwJUE0JTlGJUUwJUE1JTgwJTIwJUUwJUE0JTk1JUUwJUE1JTg3JTIwJUUwJUE0JThGJUUwJUE0JTk1JTIwJUUwJUE0JUFDJUUwJUE0JUI5JUUwJUE1JTgxJUUwJUE0JUE0JTIwJUUwJUE0JTg1JUUwJUE0JUFFJUUwJUE1JTgwJUUwJUE0JUIwJTIwJUUwJUE0JUE4JUUwJUE1JTg3JUUwJUE0JUE0JUUwJUE0JUJFJTIwJUUwJUE0JTk1JUUwJUE0JUJFJTIwJUUwJUE0JUFBJUUwJUE0JUJGJUUwJUE0JUE0JUUwJUE0JUJFJTIwJUUwJUE0JUE1JUUwJUE0JUJFJUUwJUE1JUE0JTIwJTNDYSUyMGhyZWYlM0QlMjJodHRwcyUzQSUyRiUyRnQuY28lMkZXZVRDUlFod3JzJTIyJTNFaHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZ0LmNvJTJGV2VUQ1JRaHdycyUzQyUyRmElM0UlM0MlMkZwJTNFJTI2bWRhc2glM0IlMjBMYWx1JTIwUHJhc2FkJTIwWWFkYXYlMjAlMjglNDBsYWx1cHJhc2FkcmpkJTI5JTIwJTNDYSUyMGhyZWYlM0QlMjJodHRwcyUzQSUyRiUyRnR3aXR0ZXIuY29tJTJGbGFsdXByYXNhZHJqZCUyRnN0YXR1cyUyRjg5OTQ3MzQxNDc0OTk1NDA0OCUyMiUzRUF1Z3VzdCUyMDIxJTJDJTIwMjAxNyUzQyUyRmElM0UlM0MlMkZibG9ja3F1b3RlJTNFJTBBJTNDc2NyaXB0JTIwYXN5bmMlMjBzcmMlM0QlMjIlMkYlMkZwbGF0Zm9ybS50d2l0dGVyLmNvbSUyRndpZGdldHMuanMlMjIlMjBjaGFyc2V0JTNEJTIydXRmLTglMjIlM0UlM0MlMkZzY3JpcHQlM0UlMEElMjBtbCUzQyUyRnAlM0U=[/vc_raw_html][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The RJD chief’s son and former deputy chief minister of Bihar, Tejashwi Yadav, who has been leading his party’s attacks against the Nitish Kumar government, has drawn parallels between the Srijan Scam and the infamous multi-crore-rupee Vyapam swindle of Madhya Pradesh which had also been rocked by a series of mysterious deaths of accused and witnesses.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Over a dozen people have been arrested and jailed for their alleged involvement in the Srijan scam so far. Manorama Devi’s son, Amit Kumar and his wife Priya, who took operational control of Srijan after the founder’s death in February have been absconding ever since the scam broke.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1503302350875{padding-top: 5px !important;padding-right: 5px !important;padding-bottom: 5px !important;padding-left: 5px !important;background-color: #afafaf !important;border-radius: 10px !important;}”]

The Srijan scam

The Srijan Mahila Vikas Sahyog Samiti is located in Sabour, about 10 km away from Bhagalpur. The NGO was founded by the late Manorama Devi – who dies in February this year. Over the past decade Srijan reportedly siphoned off between Rs 700 and Rs 1000 crore from the government’s treasury through fraudulent means and in connivance with several nationalized banks and government officials – in particular some members of the Bhagalpur district administration.

On record, the NGO had been involved in providing vocational training to women and selling pickles.

The scam came to light after a government cheque of Rs 10 crore presented at a bank on August 3 bounced due to insufficient funds. The Bhagalpur district magistrate had entrusted the probe to deputy development commissioner Amit Kumar. The state government on August 18 transferred Amit Kumar as district magistrate of Lakhisarai, a decision that immediately triggered protests by the Opposition with Lalu claiming that the government was trying to disrupt the investigation.

During the probe, it was revealed that some officials were perhaps illegally transferring government funds to Srijan’s account by forging the district magistrate’s signature. It is believed that the scam was not confined to one department but had spread to multiple departments beyond Bhagalpur.

Earlier, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had declared in a programme that a big scam of siphoning off government money from the Bhagalpur district treasury by an NGO had happened, and the government had constituted a probe team.

As more skeletons tumbled out of the Srijan closet and the Opposition capitalised on it to corner the state government, Nitish Kumar was forced to recommended a CBI inquiry into the scam.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

India News

Lok Sabha elections: INDIA bloc in Bihar seals seat-sharing deal, Congress get 9 seats, RJD 26

Purnea and Katihar, currently held by the Janata Dal (United), had emerged as the sticking point in seat-sharing talks between the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Congress for the 40 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar.

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The Opposition INDIA bloc sealed the seat-sharing deal in Bihar for 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The Mahagathbandhan’s largest constituent, RJD will field its candidates from 26 seats, including Purnea and Hajipur, while the Congress will contest on nine seats, including Kishanganj and Patna Sahib. Meanwhile, the Left will fight on five seats.

Purnea and Katihar, currently held by the Janata Dal (United), had emerged as the sticking point in seat-sharing talks between the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Congress for the 40 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar.

Reportedly, the Congress has been made to give up the Purnea Lok Sabha seat, which recent entrant Pappu Yadav, husband of Rajya Sabha MP Ranjeet Ranjan, was hoping to contest, mentioning that he had received assurance of Congress ticket from Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi.

The seat will be contested by RJD, which recently gave the party ticket to JD(U) turncoat Bima Bharti, but stopped short of announcing it formally. The INDIA bloc seat-sharing announcement comes a day after the filing of nomination papers for the first phase of Lok Sabha polls was over. The RJD has fielded its candidates in all four seats going to elections in the first phase.

Earlier, Tejashwi Yadav attended an INDIA bloc meeting regarding Bihar’s seat-sharing formula at Congress leader Mukul Wasnik’s residence and said that the RJD, the Congress and the Left will fight the Lok Sabha elections together in Bihar. He added that the INDIA bloc partners have agreed verbally on the seat-sharing arrangement and all the constituents are getting a respectable deal. Tejashwi Yadav’s remarks came amid reports of disquiet in the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance in Bihar over seat sharing.

In the previous Lok Sabha elections, the National Democratic Alliance, including the BJP, JD(U) and LJP won 39 seats. The first phase of the Lok Sabha elections is scheduled for April 19.

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India News

Tax terrorism has to stop, says Congress after Income Tax Department issues fresh Rs 1,700 crore notice

The Congress has accused the BJP of squeezing it financially and of using tax authorities against it ahead of Lok Sabha elections beginning April 19.

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Ahead of the Lok Sabha election, the Congress’ financial woes worsened once again with the Income Tax Department issuing a fresh Rs 1,700 crore notice. The tax department issued the notice due to discrepancies in tax returns. 

The fresh notice is for assessment years 2017-18 to 2020-21 and includes penalty and interest. This comes a day after the Delhi High Court dismissed the party’s petition challenging the tax notices. 

The opposition party is already facing a funds crunch after Income Tax authorities imposed a penalty of Rs 200 crore and froze its funds. Furthermore, the party has not received any relief from the High Court in the case and is likely to approach the Supreme Court. The Congress has accused the BJP of squeezing it financially and of using tax authorities against it ahead of Lok Sabha elections beginning April 19.

Addressing a press conference, Congress MP Jairam Ramesh said that the notices are being sent to cripple the party financially. Calling the action as tax terrorism, Jairam Ramesh said that this attack on Congress has to stop.

Earlier in February, the Income Tax department had found fault in the party’s tax returns and demanded Rs 200 crore. Subsequently, the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT) had asked the party to pay the dues and froze their accounts. The Congress stated the tax tribunal’s order freezing its funds was an attack on democracy as the order came just ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

AICC general secretary K C Venugopal stated that this is a deliberate attempt by the Narendra Modi-led to bankrupt the Congress ahead of elections. He mentioned that the timing of the penalty notice, following the Delhi High Court’s dismissal of Congress petitions challenging tax reassessment proceedings, reeks of political vendetta.

He underlined that while political parties are typically exempt from taxes, this penalty is allegedly due to delayed filing of returns. He asserted that it is a blatant move by the Modi government to cripple the Congress financially, especially during the elections. He further asserted that in response to the notice, the Congress plans to stage a nationwide protest, condemning BJP’s exploitation of central agencies to target opposition parties. 

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Akhilesh Yadav, Mayawati, Tejashwi Yadav mourns demise of Mukhtar Ansari, demand probe

Akhilesh Yadav mentioned that such doubtful cases should be investigated under the supervision of a Supreme Court judge.

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Mukhtar Ansari, gangster turned politician, who has been in jail since 2005, died due to cardiac arrest on Thursday. After Ansari’s death, his family alleged that the politician had been poisoned in the jail.  

Expressing sorrow, several opposition leaders demanded a probe into the death of Mukhtar Ansari. Notably, the gangster turned politician submitted an application in Barabanki court, alleging he was given some poisonous substance along with his food. He claimed that on March 19, his nerves and limbs started paining after he consumed the food.

Former Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar, Tejashwi Yadav wrote on X that a few days ago Mukhtar Ansari complained that he had been poisoned in jail, yet it was not taken seriously. He added that prima facie the move does not seem justifiable and humane. He stated that constitutional institutions should take suo motu cognizance of such strange cases and incidents.

Former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh and Samajwadi Party Chief, Akhilesh Yadav said that the state is going through the worst phase of government anarchy. He added that it is the responsibility and duty of the government to protect someone’s life in every situation and at every place. 

The former Chief Minister added that the death of a hostage or prisoner while being confined in the police station, in a fight inside the jail, on falling ill inside the prison, while being taken to court, while being taken to hospital or during treatment in hospital will erode public confidence in the judicial process. He mentioned that such doubtful cases should be investigated under the supervision of a Supreme Court judge. He claimed that the way the government bypasses the judicial process and adopts other methods is completely illegal. 

Taking to social media platform X, Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati said that the persistent apprehensions and serious allegations made by Mukhtar Ansari’s family regarding his death in jail require a high-level investigation so that the facts in his death can be revealed. 

AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi said that the people of Ghazipur lost their favourite son and brother. He added that Mukhtar Ansari had made serious allegations against the administration that he was poisoned, but the government did not pay any attention to his treatment.

Congress spokesperson Surendra Rajput stated that custodial deaths and firing in jail has become very common in Uttar Pradesh. He added that high level investigation should be conducted.

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