The Central Bureau of Investigation will look into the alleged multi-crore fund transfer scam by an NGO in Bihar, Hindustan Times reported on Thursday. Additional Director General of Police SK Singhal said the Union Home Ministry has given its consent for an inquiry by the central agency.

He said that 14 FIRs have been lodged and 18 accused have been arrested by the Special Investigation Team of Bihar Police so far, reported IANS. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had recommended a CBI inquiry into the alleged scam in which government funds were siphoned off by an NGO, Srijan Mahila Vikas Sahyog Samiti Limited.

Earlier, Opposition parties like the Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Congress had also demanded a CBI investigation in the case. They later added that the inquiry must be monitored by the Supreme Court.

The alleged scam had begun in 2006. Preliminary investigations had found that money meant to acquire land under the Mukhya Mantri Nagar Vikas Yojna was transferred under different names to the accounts of Bhagalpur-based cooperative society Srijan Mahila Vikas Sahyog Samiti Limited. The money was transferred to the Bank of Baroda and Indian Bank, where the government also had accounts. This continued until Srijan’s Founder-Secretary Manorama Devi had died in February.