The special investigation team carried out marathon raids at the residences and business establishments of suspects who are absconding to evade arrests in the Srijan scam for the first time after the swindling came to light on August 4.
The SIT, with the help of the local police, conducted raids at the establishments of four suspects whose involvement in the scam could not be ignored, said sources.
The prime suspects were former BJP leader Vipin Sharma, M.V. Raju, the owner of electronic gadget shop Kalinga Sales, Kishore Ghosh, the owner of a branded garment shop, and P.K. Ghosh, a former consultant of Srijan.
The four were interrogated the day after the first FIR was registered against Srijan on August 7 for embezzlement of government funds, but were set free after they assured to cooperate with the SIT when required. They, however, went missing since then.
SIT sources said the raids, which continued till late Sunday night, did not find any vital links that could associate them with Srijan.
"But the teams found huge properties accumulated by the four persons. In some places, the SIT teams and journalists had to face the wrath of relatives of the suspects," an SIT official said.
The SIT teams did find a few documents from the house of expelled BJP leader Vipin Sharma. The documents found at his Tilka Manjhi house prove he has accumulated quite a number of properties. Besides four big business establishments in the heart of Bhagalpur, he also has properties in Deoghar, Mumbai, New Delhi and Dehradun. He is absconding along with his wife, Rubi Kumari, who is a member of Srijan's executive committee.
The teams also got a whiff of properties, which Sharma had gifted to some of his women friends. The police came to know that Sharma got into an awkward situation a few days ago when the Mumbai police found him with a woman there.
"An influential politician in Delhi managed to settle the matter in Mumbai," the source said.
A police force has been deployed at Sharma's house at present to get hold of him as soon as he reaches Bhagalpur.
When the team reached Kalinga Sales, while the shop was open, proprietor M.V. Raju was missing. Even his two flats were found locked. The team found huge business transaction records from the shop.
The story of Raju's rise is unique. Hailing from Odisha, he was a sales representative of Singer. He developed a good rapport with Bhagalpur district magistrate K.P. Ramaiya during February 2003 to July 2004.
Raju and Ramaiya had good relations with Srijan founder Late Manorama Devi and Ramaiya managed to endorse Raju to Manorama.
Over 6,000 Singer sewing machines were distributed among self-help group members of Srijan. Ramaiya had cajoled government subsidiary units to purchase the machines from Raju. Raju made huge profits from the sale and took a fat loan from Srijan to start his own business venture, sources said.
Kishore Ghosh, who is also absconding, according to his manager had taken a loan of Rs 80 lakh from Srijan in 2011-15 but returned it with interest. He has two under-construction apartments besides a business establishment like the Big Shop near Khalifabag Chowk.
The manager, however, managed to get in touch with Kishore over the phone and the SIT team had a word with him. He assured the police he would return to Bhagal-pur soon and help with the investigation.
When the team reached the house of P.K. Ghosh, a former consultant of Srijan, at Vikanpur locality in Bhagalpur, he too was found missing. His wife however helped the team conduct the raid. The team did not manage to find anything worthwhile at the house.
His wife said after 2005-06, her husband did not have any relation with Srijan and had started avoiding Monorama.
