CBI seeks state nod to prosecute 10 ex-CMOs

The districts where such irregularities have been detected so far include Kushinagar,Deoria,Gorakhpur,Maharajganj,Varanasi,Ghazipiur,Chandauli,Shravasti,Bahraich,Gonda,Balrampur,Meerut,Ballia,Sidharth Nagar and Kanpur.

The former CMOs against whom evidence have been collected reportedly are Dr Chaman Prakash,Dr SK Tiloia,Dr RH Verma,Dr Harish Chandra,Dr OP Srivastava,Dr Prem Prakash,Dr HN Tiwari,Dr GP Awasthi,Dr RL Singh and Dr RC Yadav.

Other ex-CMOs facing charges include Dr KM Tiwari (retired),Dr Sharda Shukla,Dr Sudhakar Dubey,Dr HM Khan,Dr RN Mishra,Dr SK Maharaj,Dr GP Verma,retired CMO Dr Vibhuti Prasad,Dr Hari Prakash,Dr AK Srivastava,Dr Kanhaiya Lal and Dr SP Pathak.

The CBI is in the process of preparing chargesheet against the ex-CMOs and is believed to have sought permission to prosecute them under sections 13(2) read with 13(1) (d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The CBI had registered these cases on February 24 and searches were conducted at 62 places the same day and the next day across the state. The investigation has found that a group of private firms procured contracts of huge amounts in various districts using their influence on concerned CMOs. The probe found gross irregularities and manipulation in awarding contracts to these firms,CBI sources said.

The private firms which were awarded contracts included Bahraich Congress leader Mukesh Srivastava’s sister-in-law Savitri’s Medicine Times,Raees Alam Siddiqui alias Guddu Khan’s M/S Sewa Enterprises,Mahendra Pandey’s M/S SK Distributors,Abhay Shukla’s M/S VA International,Pradip Sharma’s M/S P&P Enterprises,Sanjay Awasthi’s M/S VS Traders,Vikas Srivastava’s M/S Kajal Enterprises,VK Agarwal’s M/S Charishma Health Care and Anupam Gupta’s M/S Gupta Brothers.

Other firms included M/S Sun Surgical,M/S Hindustan Trading Company,M/S Surji Surgicals,M/S Medicine Mahal,M/S Garg Pharma,M/S Sleek Pharma,Bhagwati Enterprises,M/S Sunny & Company and Gopal Surgicals.