CBI registers three cases in NRHM scam in Uttar Pradesh

NEW DELHI: After a hiatus, the CBI probe into National Rural Health Mission scam in Uttar Pradesh has picked up steam with the agency registering three separate cases of corruption against health officials of the state.
The first case was registered against then Chief Medical Officer (Family Welfare), Sitapur Vijay Shankar Rai. The second and third cases were registered against then Additional Chief Medical Officers--M L Arya and Rajendra Singh respectively--in the office of CMO Lakhimpur Kheri, CBI sources said, adding several private firms have also been named in these cases.

"It was alleged that the then CMO (Family Welfare), Sitapur entered into a criminal conspiracy with a Himachal Pradesh based private firm and other unknown public servants working in the office of Health and Family Welfare Department, District Sitapur (UP) and unknown private persons with the intention to cheat the government," CBI spokesperson R K Gaur said while giving details of the first case.

He said in furtherance to the conspiracy, the public servant had allegedly split the indents to forgo the process of tendering and used fake quotation of different firms with Tubectomy Operation Kit and Tubectomy operation follow-up kits being purchased on exorbitant rates.

"An alleged loss of Rs 7.12 lakh was caused to the Uttar Pradesh government," he said.

In the second case, it was alleged that the public servant and others entered into a criminal conspiracy with two firms of Varanasi to cheat the Health department.

"In pursuance thereof, the accused allegedly utilised fake authority letters of manufacturing firms to show supply and receipt of medicines which were deficit. The accused also allegedly connived with the supplying firms to legalise their financial claim of having supplied the medicines as per the indents raised by the office of CMO Lakhimpur Kheri," he said.

Gaur said an alleged loss of Rs 16.64 lakh was caused to the state government.

He said in the third case, it has been alleged that then Additional CMO and others entered into a criminal conspiracy with three firms of Varanasi to cheat the Health department.

"Similar to the previous case, the accused in the third case also allegedly utilised fake authority letters of manufacturing firms to show receipt of medicines which were deficit. They connived with the supplying firms to legalise their financial claim of having supplied the medicines as per the indents raised by the office of CMO Lakhimpur Kheri," he said.

An alleged loss of Rs 15.84 lakh was caused to the Health department of the state in the case, Gaur added.