CBI takes over probe in Gomti riverfront scam

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a case into alleged irregularities in the Rs 1,513-crore Gomti Riverfront Development scam in Lucknow that took place during Samajwadi Party government rule in Uttar Pradesh.

The case was registered after Yogi Adityanath-led BJP government in Uttar Pradesh had constituted an inquiry into the beautification project of the Gomti riverfront and found irregularities.

The CBI has registered an FIR against eight engineers. According to the FIR, the case has been filed against then chief engineers Gulesh Chandra, SN Sharma, Qazim Ali, then superintendent engineers Mangal Yadav, Akhil Raman, Kamaleshwar Singh, Roop Singh Yadav and executive engineer Surendra Yadav. Gulesh Chandra, Shiv Mangal Yadav, Akhil Raman and Roop Singh Yadav retired later.

The state government constituted committee, under retired Allahabad High Court judge Alok Kumar Singh, had indicated prima facie irregularities in the project in its report dated May 16, 2017.

After Uttar Pradesh police registered a case on June 19 on the basis of the report, the state government, on July 17, sought a CBI probe into the matter.

The Centre referred the matter to the CBI on November 24, 2017 on the basis of which the agency has now taken over investigation.

It has been found that the total allocation for the project is Rs 1,513 crore and 95 per cent of the budget — which comes to around Rs 1,435 crore — had already been spent, though only less than 60 per cent of the work has been completed.

Gomti river, meandering through the 940-kilometre stretch of rich alluvial plains of Uttar Pradesh, is polluted by industrial effluents and domestic discharge.

The river becomes more of a flowing dumping yard for the 15 smaller and bigger towns, including Lakhimpur Kheri, Sitapur, Lucknow, Sultanpur and Jaunpur, in its catchment area. The major sources of pollution in the Gomti are industrial waste from sugar factories and distilleries and sewage from habitations.

The Gomti Riverfront Project was launched by the Samajwadi Party in 2013 to beautify the banks of the river as well as to channelise it.

THE PROJECT

• The Gomti Riverfront Project was launched by the Samajwadi Party in 2013 to beautify the banks of the river as well as to channelise it.
   
• The Adityanath government wanted the scam allegations referred to the CBI, which took over the investigation on Thursday.