Patna, Sep 29 (IANS): A team of Enforcement Directorate (ED) managed to arrest one of the main accused of Srijan Scam of Bihar on Wednesday.

The accused, Vipin Kumar Sharma was traced in Bhagalpur. He was produced in special court and session judge Sunil Dutt Mishra sent him to judicial custody. The next hearing of this case is on October 1.

Earlier, his wife Rubi Devi was also arrested from Tilka Manjhi locality in Bhagalpur, two weeks ago.

According to an official of the ED, Sharma was instrumental in distribution of money to many prominent persons including leaders of ruling parties. He was having close links with the ex-president of Srijan Sahyog committee, late Manorma Devi, her son Amit Kumar and his wife Rajani Priya.

The ED has found properties of these accused in several locations of the country including in Bhagalpur, Noida, Gurugram and other cities.

Besides ED, CBI had registered four FIRs in this multi crore scam. Several officials of the district welfare office had illegally withdrawn Rs 99,88,69,830 between 2007 and 2017.

The money was withdrawn from Bank of Baroda, Bank of India and Indian Bank of Bhagalpur branch. The alleged officials of Bank of Baroda, RP road branch, Indian Bank, Patal Road branch, Bank of India, Triveni apartment branch, Srijan women development cooperative committee (SWDCC) members and district welfare association of Bhagalpur are facing charges of cheating, criminal conspiracy and forgery.

In other two FIRs, alleged officials had withdrawn Rs 221.60 crore and Rs 121.71 crore.

These two FIRs were registered on the complaint of Shyam Prasad Yadav, the district welfare officer of Bhagalpur on December 23, 2020. The fourth FIR was registered in Bhagalpur's Kotwali police station as well.