UP: CBI books Shukla, Sachan in NRHM scam

The Central Bureau of Investigation has booked former chief medical officer of Lucknow A K Shukla and former deputy CMO Y S Sachan, who recently died inside the Lucknow district prison under mysterious circumstances, in the multi-crore National Rural Health Mission scam.

The agency has filed two cases in the scam as it found leads which indicate that huge financial bungling was allegedly committed by Uttar Pradesh Health Department officials in connivance with the contractors, CBI sources said.

The CBI has alleged in the FIRs that officials in-charge of funds from the Centre under the NRHM allegedly acted hand-in-gloves with the contractors to create fraudulent reimbursement bills for hiring of vehicles and medicine purchases, to withdraw funds for personal gains, agency sources said.

The agency has accused the then CMO A K Shukla, Deputy CMO Sachan, District Administrative Office C J Yadav and clerk P C Verma of cheating, criminal conspiracy, forgery among other charges under the Prevention of Corruption Act, they said.

The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court had on July 27 directed the CBI to probe the murders of the two CMOs and irregularities in the implementation of the National Rural Health Mission within three months.

The order was passed by justices Pradeep Kant and Ritu Raj Awasthi after the Mayawati government recommended a CBI probe into the deaths of the CMOs.

Sources said the agency has found crucial leads linking the murders of chief medical officers Vinod Kumar Arya and B P Singh in Lucknow with the alleged bungling of funds in the National Rural Health Mission.