NRHM scam: CBI arrests P.K. Jain in NRHM fund Scam

The CBI on Thursday arrested a bureaucrat from Uttar Pradesh, marking the first major arrest in the multi-crore National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) scam in that state. The General Manager of Construction & Design Services (C & DS) in UP Jal Nigam, P K Jain, was arrested by the CBI in connection with one of the FIRs in which former UP Family Welfare Minister Babu Singh Kushwaha is also an accused. The arrest came a day after the agency carried out inter-state searches at about 60 locations, including the residence of Kushwaha. Jain was called to the CBI headquarters in Delhi and later put under arrest and taken to Ghaziabad court which remanded him in CBI custody till January 13. Besides Jain, those who were called for questioning were S P Ram, former DG of family welfare, Abhay Kumar Vajpayee, Managing Director of Uttar Pradesh Small Industries Corporation Ltd, Saurabh Jain, owner of Guru Kripa Medicals. Saurabh, considered close to Kushwaha, is also likely to be arrested. Another former DG of family welfare, R R Bharti, was also summoned by the CBI in Lucknow. The CBI had registered a case against P K Jain on January 2 for allegedly causing a loss of Rs 5.46 crore in the upgrading work of 134 district hospitals. The CBI 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 across the state. It alleged that the work was sub-let to Ghaziabad-based Surgicoin Medi Equipt Pvt Ltd on the basis of bogus and forged documents. “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 also claimed to have recovered 3 kg of gold and cash of Rs 1.11 crore besides some important documents during search operations at Jain’s residence on Wednesday. ‘Raid on Kushwaha home a conspiracy’ BJP state president Surya Pratap Shahi said on Thursday the CBI raids at the residence of former family welfare minister Babu Singh Kushwaha, who joined the BJP on Tuesday, were a joint conspiracy of Congress, BSP and SP to suppress the voices of an OBC leader. In another statement, party national secretary Kirit Somaiya accused the Congress of misusing the documents he had given to CBI in connection with Mayawati government’s various scams and bogus companies owned by Mayawati’ friends and family.

NRHM scam: CBI lodges eight FIRs

LUCKNOW: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday night registered eight separate FIRs at its Lucknow office in connection with the swindling of funds and allegations of corruption in implementation of the National Rural Health Mission in the state. The move has paved way for initiating arrests in the cases, if the investigators saw a need for such an action . Sources in the CBI confirmed that a series of arrests were likely to follow in the next few days, including those of some senior officers , politicians, contractors and their families as well. The CBI move is sure to result in a political upheaval as the FIRs are related to anomalies committed during the present government itself and the action is sure to come as a fodder for the political opposition of the government to batter the BSP in the poll-bound state. The number of accused in these cases was expected to cross a couple of dozens but the exact count could not be ascertained yet as it will depend on the statements of those who have been prima-facie identified as the accused. The FIRs include names of some senior officers, former ministers, MPs, MLAs and MLCs. The cases have been registered under different sections of Prohibition of Corruption Act apart from the sections of Indian Penal Code (IPC) that provide for action against forgery , fraud and graft. Sources confirmed that at least one FIR has been lodged against the State Health Society (SHC), which was the nodal agency for the NRHM implmentation. However , whether any particular name or designation has been identified as accused in the case, could not be confirmed. The CBI sources said that arrests were likely to include those whose names had figured in front companies that were being actually operated by politicians and officers of the health department. "In some instances , the individuals were not involved in the crime but there is evidence that they were pretty aware of it, hence they too will be deemed as accused," said senior officer.

NRHM scam: CBI raids ex-BSP minister Kushwaha

New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) raided the residence of former family welfare minister of Uttar Pradesh Babu Singh Kushwaha in connection with the financial irregularities in the supply of medicines and medical equipment in the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) scam on Wednesday.

Kushwaha, a former BSP MLA had joined the BJP on Tuesday.

The CBI also raided the premises of some officials and contractors in connection with the NRHM scam. The raids were being conducted at 60 places in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.

Earlier on Tuesday, the CBI had filed FIRs pertaining to the scam. Kushwaha has been named as an accused in one of the five FIRs registered against the NRHM officials and private companies in Uttar Pradesh.

The charges against Kushwaha include those of criminal misconduct and misuse of office in implementing the NRHM scheme as the family welfare minister.

Sources say that an embarrassed BJP is now unlikely to give him a poll ticket. The BJP CEC will meet on Wednesday to finalise 100 tickets in Uttar Pradesh. A section within the BJP had been upset over his induction into the party. The party now says it won't support any corrupt leader.

Babu Singh Kushwaha was a confidante of UP Chief Minister Mayawati. He enjoys clout amongst the Kushwaha community that adds to almost four per cent votes in UP.

He was in-charge of managing the BSP affairs and therefore, could be of crucial importance to the BSP's competitors.

Mayawati is known to have said that in case she was jailed, Kushwaha could be the acting Chief Minister.

The National Rural Health Scheme is a plan to make changes in the healthcare system. The NRHM plan includes hiking public expenditure on health.

Irregularities were reported in the NRHM fund disbursed to Uttar Pradesh in 2011. In November 2011, the Allahabad High Court directed the CBI to conduct an inquiry into the misuse of the NRHM funds in UP.

The CBI has been probing irregularities in funds disbursed to 72 CMOs across UP. The CBI formed a special probe team to investigate the NRHM scam.

NRHM scam: CBI raids at more than 60 places

CBI on Wednesday conducted searches at 60 places, including at the residence of former U.P. Family Welfare Minister Babu Singh Kushwaha, to probe alleged irregularities in the Rs. 10,000 crore funds allocated under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM).

The CBI carried out searches after registering five cases on January two in which Mr. Kushwaha has been named in one of the cases, official sources said.

The searches began this morning at 60 places including at the residence of the former minister in Lucknow. Mr. Kushwaha had joined BJP on Tuesday after being sacked by U.P. Chief Minister Mayawati. Some places in the national capital were also being searched, the sources said.

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

The funds have been spent through Chief Medical Officers of 72 districts in U.P. and other nodal offices all over the State like family welfare, medical health and training under various schemes.

A number of these works have been executed through several State public sector undertaking and a large number of contractors and firms.

The Allahabad High Court had on December 15 last year directed the CBI to conduct preliminary enquiry into the matter of execution and implementation of the NRHM scheme and utilization of funds at various levels.

The CBI has been asked to complete the inquiry in four months by the court.