| Posted on: 2012-01-24/23:02:20 | India - Fraud & Cyber Crime News | Others/ |
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CBI sources on Tuesday claimed that they are investigating the role of former UP minister Babu Singh Kushwaha in at least 12 contracts related to the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) scam. Kushwaha has been named in an FIR related to upgrade of 134 district hospitals, in which project manager Sunil Verma was also one of the main accused. Verma had on Monday committed suicide at his Lucknow residence. Sources say that "Kushwaha, former family welfare minister of BSP government, had given a go ahead for this contract of 134 district hospitals and money was parted with him. We have learnt that he was also involved in giving final approval to several private companies under various other projects of NRHM". About Verma's role, sources claimed that "he was the technical approver of this project in which there was a loss of Rs 5.46 crore to the exchequer. He had approved the tender without consulting various government committees and also did not tally the required rates. The contract approval by him to M/s Surgicoin had benefitted the government officials and private company. The rates of the contract were kept at Rs 13.5 crore, which were five times higher than market rates. Verma had approved these rates without any crosscheck and Surgicoin was selected," said the officer. The agency on Tuesday questioned around 12 officials, including Bharat Singh, Chief General Manager of UP Jal Nigam's Construction and Design Services (C and DS). Singh was among 12 people including the witnesses, suspects and accused questioned by the agency in connection with eight cases registered by it relating to alleged swindling of funds in NRHM, CBI sources said. Singh was questioned about various projects undertaken by the C and DS under the NRHM and about the upgrade of hospitals across the state, agency sources said. UPCDS has come under the CBI scanner with GM P K Jain in the custody in the case relating to allegedly causing a loss of Rs 5.46 crore. The CBI has alleged that Rs 13.4 crore was given to C and DS for the upgrade work of districts hospitals which was outsourced to a Ghaziabad-based firm on the basis of bogus and forged documents. |
| Source: D C | Location : Delhi |
