Bihar corruption: Probe into 1999 Housing scam not yet over

Patna, Sep 3 (UNI) Investigations into the alleged corruption at the Bihar State Housing Cooperative Federation (BSHCF) which led to some builders' procurement of loans worth over Rs 8 crores have not been completed even after a passage of seven years.

According to an FIR , all rules and regulations were allegedly flouted when some of the builders managed to procure loan of over Rs 8 crores in connivance with the officers of BSHCF. The loans were allegedly given without completing the legalities and verification of documents.

The matter came to light in the year 1999 and the FIR was made against the officers concerned.

Separate FIRs were lodged against the Federations officers namely Manoj Kant Thakur, Loknath Tiwari, Arun Kumar Jha, Phoolan Kumar Singh and Gangadhar Mishra, C K Basu and against the builders following the directions of the then Managing Director (MD) of the BSHCF S S Verma.

Sources said that even after passage of seven years the investigation into the matter was still to be completed and in the meantime suspension of the officers allegedly involved in the corrupt practices had been revoked despite adverse comments of the legal luminaries.

The BSHCF administration reportedly even interfered in the execution of orders of judiciary for arresting the guilty officers, the sources said.

Earlier, the then leader of opposition in the state assembly Sushil Kumar Modi had raised the embezzlement in the BSHCF in connivance with the officers and had demanded a high level probe into the scam.

Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee Chief Spokespersons Premchandra Mishra said here today that Mr Modi who '' vociferously raised the matter is ironically maintaining a mysterious silence on the issue when he is holding the post of deputy Chief Minister of the state.'' He requested Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to intervene and ensure action against the corrupt and guilty officers of the federation.

Apart from a retired senior IAS officer several other officers with links in corridors of power were involved in the scam, he added saying that just because of the involvement of the senior officers the investigation was prolonged.

UNI RS/RL RP KN1731