Bhagalpur: The Reserve Bank of India has taken cognisance of fraudulent withdrawal from the Bhagalpur welfare department in the multi-crore Srijan scam and hinted at action against nationalised banks involved in the case.

Deputy general manager, RBI, S.K. Harshvardan in a letter to the district welfare officer has said the central bank has started scrutiny of the alleged role of nationalised banks. "Possible action would be taken against banks, including enforcing them to return the amount illegally withdrawn after assessing the involvement," the letter says.

The Bhagalpur welfare department had earlier informed the RBI regional director about fraudulent withdrawal of more than Rs 241 crore. Bhagalpur district welfare officer Sunil Kumar Sharma alleged that over the last 15 years, department funds were illegally withdrawn from banks in nexus with Srijan scamsters.

The department has lodged two FIRs so far against illegal withdrawal of Rs 121 crore.