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.

... contd.