After The Indian Express made inquiries, Bagaha sub-divisional magistrate Anamul Haque cracked down on the ‘Dr Kalam Educational Foundation’ this afternoon, arresting seven persons and seizing cash, documents, letters, certificates and seals from its two-room office in Bagaha town.

A spokesperson for Kalam, speaking over phone from New Delhi, said “no permission has been given to anyone to use Dr Kalam’s name or form a trust in the former President’s name”.

Harishankar Singh, the ‘Foundation’ secretary, had earlier claimed the trust was registered in Motihari on April 4 this year after seeking permission from Kalam to “work towards realising his Vision 2020”. Singh also claimed to have informed the Bihar Chief Minister’s office about their “lofty goals”. But the CM’s office denied receiving any such letter.

The ‘Foundation’ office in Patna is a three-room accommodation on Road No. 6, North Patel Nagar. Its director is one Dharmendra Bidrohi who was associated with the RSS fifteen years ago and would arrange its shaka at Ghodasahan, 35 km from East Champaran. Bidrohi also worked as a stringer for a Hindi daily from Siraiya in Motihari until seven years ago. Later, he taught at an RSS-run school in Ghodasahan and got the job of a Sikshamitra (contract teacher).

He recently floated the “Kalam Foundation” along with some locals, including a Motihari lawyer O P Singh. Bidrohi, who was said to have gone to Hardwar, was not available for comments. O P Singh, legal advisor for the trust, was unable to explain how the trust was registered in the name of Kalam without his permission.

The trust established its network across East Champaran, West Champaran, Muzaffarpur and Sitamarhi by engaging over 250 workers from the district to panchayat level. It is alleged they would tell people that Kalam was their “guiding force” and they had “something for all”. Children were asked to fill up forms to get scholarships from the ‘Kalam Foundation’ after qualifying tests (that never took place). One form cost Rs 75.

It is alleged that the ‘Foundation’ workers promised over 700 people from four districts that they would be employed as Swasthya Premis (health volunteers) at the panchayat level in exchange for a “donation” of Rs 5,500 each. But the “donation amount”, it is alleged, was as high as Rs 20,000 for bigger assignments. All these came under their “Gramyodaya Pariyojna”.

Trust secretary Harishankar admitted that they would accept “donations” without receipts and “invest the money in small scale industries like pickles, papad, jelly and murabba” to eventually generate jobs at the rural level for “empowerment of masses”. Singh said their first step was to train people in cultivation and small scale industry techniques and later open schools and health centres in villages.

In the first week of August, a “one-day” training session was held. Camping in Valmiki Nagar in West Champaran, the trust allegedly collected money from over 50 villagers to make them members of its “Gramyodaya Pariyojna”. But suspicious villagers later met Valmiki Nagar’s 12th battalion Commandant H R Barot, alleging cheating.

“People wanted to go to the police but were stopped. Amounts ranging from Rs 5,500 to Rs 20,000 were collected from several people after promising jobs, free education to children and healthcare,” Barot said.

Neeraj Pande of Mahuar village — it comes under the Semra police station of Bagaha — said: “I gave Rs 7,000 a fortnight ago after taking a loan. I was told I would be made a Swasthya Premi on a salary of Rs 3,000 per month. We were convinced because they used Dr Kalam’s name and spoke of big development plans. We were told they were working under instruction from the state government.”

Bagaha SDM Haque said: “Their register shows they have filtered down to the panchayat levels in four districts. They carry fake letters addressed to District Magistrates, Chief Minister and Dr Kalam. Bagaha’s six blocks have been affected by the racket.”