Misappropriation of funds: Former Lucknow CMO held

Former Chief Medical Officer of Lucknow A K Shukla was on Tuesday arrested by the police in connection with alleged financial irregularities in the state health department.

"Doctor Shukla was arrested from the trauma centre of Chattrapati Shahuji Maharaj Nagar Medical University this morning," said Deputy Inspector General of Police Lucknow D K Thakur.

He said Shukla was arrested in connection with financial irregularities in the health department.

An FIR was registered against CMO Shukla, a clerk and some contractors on charges of misappropriation of funds by Joint Director (Administration) Rajendra Singh at Wazirganj police station on April 7, 2011.

In the FIR, Singh alleged that the CMO misused his powers and helped his associates in withdrawing government funds by producing fake bills.

The financial irregularities were detected during investigations into the murder of CMO B P Singh, who was shot dead in Gomti Nagar area on April 2.

Deputy CMO YS Sachan, administration officer C S Yadav and senior clerk PC Verma were arrested immediately after allegations of irregularities in the department surfaced.

On the night of June 22, Sachan was found dead inside the toilet of the Lucknow district jail hospital.

Two ministers -- Babu Singh Khushwaha and Anant Kumar Mishra -- had resigned on moral grounds due to the ongoing controversy.