NRHM scam: CBI files chargesheet against Kushwaha, 5 others

The CBI filed a chargesheet against former Uttar Pradesh minister Babu Singh Kushwaha, senior IAS officer Pradeep Shukla and four others in a case.

Ghaziabad: The CBI on Friday filed a chargesheet against former Uttar Pradesh minister Babu Singh Kushwaha, senior IAS officer Pradeep Shukla and four others in a case of alleged financial bungling in National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) in the state.

The chargesheet, which was filed in a special CBI court here, pertains to upgrading of 40 district hospitals in the state. Over 30 operation theatres (OTs) were to be set up in the district hospitals and it is alleged that there was a loss of over Rs 6 crore to the exchequer due to the alleged bungling. Former MLA RP Jaiswal, a former MD and a general manger of state-owned Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited are also among the accused in the chargesheet. The court has fixed December 29 as the next date of hearing and issued summons to all the accused asking them to be present during the hearing. This is the second chargesheet filed by the CBI within a week. On Monday, the agency had filed a charge sheet in the special court, in a NRHM case involving upgrading of 89 hospitals in which the exchequer suffered a loss of Rs 5.89 crore. Shukla is named in both the chargesheets. "This case relates to award of contract of upgrade of 40 district level hospitals in UP on the basis of forged and bogus documents and by paying illegal gratification to the officials concerned of Health and Family Welfare department and UPPCL, Uttar Pradesh," the CBI had said at the time of registration of the case. PTI