NRHM scam: CBI widens probe; interrogates 4 more

Widening its probe, CBI today interrogated four more persons, including a former senior UP government official, in connection with alleged irregularities in utilisation of about Rs 10,000 crore of Central funds allocated under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM).

CBI sources said that its officials have questioned R R Bharti, former Director General (Family Welfare),Uttar Pradesh in the agency's Delhi office and three businessmen -- G K Batra, V Goyal and Neeraj Upadhyay -- in Lucknow.

They said crucial evidences have emerged so far from its ongoing investigation in the multi-crore scam.

Besides, CBI has got custody of four people arrested by it in the last two days.

Former UP Small Industries Corporation Managing Director Abhay Kumar Bajpai, who was arrested last night and former Director General, Family Welfare, S P Ram and trader Saurabh Jain, who were arrested this morning, will remain in CBI custody till January 10.

Former UP Jal Board General Manager P K Jain will remain in CBI custody till January 13 for further interrogation, the sources said.

The CBI had registered a case against Jain on January 2 for allegedly causing a loss of Rs 5.46 crore in the upgrading work of 134 district hospitals. Jain was arrested yesterday.

The agency has alleged that Rs 13.4 crore was given to Construction and Design Services, a unit of UP Jal Nigam, for the upgrade work of 134 districts hospitals.

"The materials installed in the hospitals were found to be of inferior and sub-standard quality thereby causing an approximate loss of Rs 5.46 crore to the exchequer," the CBI alleged.

The agency had carried out inter-state searches at about 60 locations on January 4, including at the residence of former Uttar Pradesh minister Babu Singh Kushwaha, to probe alleged irregularities.

It claimed to have recovered three kgs of gold and cash of Rs 1.10 crore besides some important documents during the search operations.

CBI had registered five cases on January 2 against certain government and private sector officials, including one against Kushwaha alleging loss of about Rs 28 crore in implementing the Centrally-sponsored scheme meant for 72 districts of UP.

Kushwaha, a BSP OBC leader of the state, was sacked by Mayawati following his alleged involvement in the multi-crore scam and has now joined BJP.

NRHM funds to the tune of about Rs 10,000 crore were allocated to UP for the period 2005-06 till date by the Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry.