Patna/Bhagalpur: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered four more FIRs against office-bearers of Bhagalpur-based non-government organisation Srijan Mahila Vikas Sahyog Samiti, officials of Bank of Baroda and Indian Bank, and others for alleged embezzlement of government funds.

The first FIR was lodged against Srijan president Shubhlaxmi Prasad and nine other office-bearers of the organisation - Rajni Priya, Seema Sevi, Jaseema Khatoon, Rajrani Verma, Aparna Verma, Ruby Kumari, Rani Devi, Sunita Devi and Suna Devi.

In the second FIR, the CBI has accused then senior branch manager, Bank of Baroda (Bhagalpur), its cashier, then district welfare officer Arun Kumar, Srijan's cashier, its other employees and others.

The then and current branch manager of Bhagalpur branch of Bank of Baroda, then branch manager of Indian Bank and all office-bearers of Srijan Mahila Vikas Sahyog Samiti, which has its headquarters in Sabour, have been made accused in the third FIR.

In the fourth FIR, the CBI has named then Banka land acquisition officer Jaishree Thakur, all Srijan office-bearers and then branch managers of Indian Bank and Bank of Baroda. They have been booked for criminal conspiracy, breach of trust, cheating and forgery of valuable security under Sections 120 (b), 409, 420, 467, 468, 471 of IPC. The cases have been lodged on information furnished by district land acquisition officer of Banka, Aditya Kumar Jha, on Tuesday. Jaishree has been accused of misappropriation of funds to the tune of Rs 5.10 crore during her tenure as district land acquisition officer of Banka.

A senior CBI official said the cases were related to illegal transfer and misuse of funds from government bank accounts in Bhagalpur and Banka districts. Earlier, 14 cases were registered and 17 persons arrested in connection with the Rs 1,400 crore scam.

The investigation agency swung into action and registered fresh cases after the main opposition party in the state - the RJD - lashed out at the CBI and the NDA. "The CBI has failed to nail any district magistrate or influential person who played an important role in the scam," a senior RJD leader said.

It is alleged that Srijan diverted government funds to its accounts between 2004 and 2014, in connivance with bank and state government officials. The scam surfaced in August, after which the state government recommended a CBI probe. Investigations show money demarcated for various welfare schemes was pilfered with in connivance of government officials, bank employees and Srijan office-bearers. Investigations suggest Srijan managed to fake third-party endorsement and get government funds directly deposited into own bank accounts. Bank statements and passbooks were fudged with the help of bank and district employees.