Patna: The head of the Gandhi Maidan police station has been removed for negligence of duty as he allegedly failed to inform his senior officer in connection with an FIR lodged under his watch in connection with financial bungling labelled by the Opposition as a "toilet scam".

Last week, an FIR was lodged at the Gandhi Maidan police station against the superintending engineer in the public health engineering department (PHED), Vinay Kumar Sinha, and accountant Bateshwar Prasad Singh over misappropriation of funds by four NGOs purportedly engaged in building toilets in Patna district.

But despite the gravity of the case, Gandhi Maidan station house officer (SHO) Priyaranjan didn't inform his senior officer. When the matter came to the notice of deputy inspector-general of police Rajesh Kumar, he ordered a probe and issued a notice removing the SHO with immediate effect.

The "toilet scam" involves alleged embezzlement of government funds to the tune of Rs 15 crore by four NGOs in construction of toilets in Patna district in 2016. The FIR was lodged on the instruction of Patna district magistrate Sanjay Kumar Agarwal.

A police officer, who is part of the special investigating scam probing the scam, said on the condition of anonymity: "The SHO by not informing his senior about the FIR indirectly gave an opportunity to Sinha and Singh to escape." All the accused in the scam are absconding.

As per the FIR, fraudulent payment of Rs 13.5 crore was made to the NGOs in the name of construction of toilets and another Rs 1.5 crore for publicity.

SHO Priyaranjan was removed from his post on Monday evening. Patna senior superintendent of police Manu Maharaaj gave charge of Gandhi Maidan police station to his officer on special duty (OSD) Mitesh Kumar. On Tuesday, the special investigation team constituted by the government to probe the scam visited the SBI's Gandhi Maidan branch to carry out inquiries.

"Police have collected some vital clues as to how the fund was transferred to the NGOs' accounts," Maharaaj said. The police also sought details about bank officials who were posted at the SBI's Gandhi Maidan branch during the period when the fund transfer was made but now have been transferred to other places.