New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday arrested a former executive engineer and a senior assistant in connection with alleged irregularities in the Gomti riverfront development project undertaken during the Samajwadi Party government.


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The then executive engineer, Roop Singh Yadava, and a senior assistant Raj Kumar Yadav in the Canal and Irrigation Department have been arrested in connection with the case, said the CBI.


On November 30, 2017, the CBI had taken over the investigation after registering a case against 8 accused on the recommendation of the UP government, which had earlier formed a committee under the chairmanship of a retired judge to look into the alleged irregularities. 


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The committee had prima facie found administrative irregularities in the project and recommended a thorough investigation against several officers. The case against the accused was filed at Gomti Nagar police station in June 2017. 


The matter was also investigated by the state government under the chairmanship of its Urban Development Minister Suresh Khanna, and then the case was handed over to the CBI.


Notably, the work in the Gomti riverfront development project in Lucknow started in 2015, with an initial budget of Rs 550 crore, but the project later increased to Rs 1500 crores.


After the CBI registered the case, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) also lodged a case of money laundering. After CBI raids, the ED also searched the places related to officials and contractors in Delhi, Lucknow, Haryana, and Rajasthan.


On the arrest of these two officials, the CBI said that both the accused persons have been arrested after a long investigation and strong evidence. The central probe agency will present these accused before the court to take their remand for further investigation and to take information about other accused persons.