The CBI is learnt to have sought the UP governments sanction to prosecute 10 former Chief Medical Officers (CMOs) in connection with four cases related to alleged irregularities in procurement of medicines and surgical equipment for hospitals under NRHM scheme. The District Health Societies in 22 districts were allocated Rs 1 crore for each under NRHM which the CMOs were to utilise. The investigation has found that only 30 per cent of the money was utilised to buy equipment and in a majority of the cases money was released without any procurement. Besides,medicines and equipment of sub-standard quality were bought at exorbitant rates. The former CMOs against whom evidence has been collected reportedly are Chaman Prakash,SK Tiloia,RH Verma,Harish Chandra,O P Srivastava,Prem Prakash,H N Tiwari,G P Awasthi,R L Singh and RC Yadav. Other ex-CMOs facing charges include K M Tiwari,Sharda Shukla,Sudhakar Dubey,H M Khan,R N Mishra,S K Maharaj,G P Verma,Vibhuti Prasad,Hari Prakash,A K Srivastava,Kanhaiya Lal and S P Pathak. The CBI is in the process of preparing a chargesheet against the ex-CMOs and is believed to have sought permission to prosecute them under the Prevention of Corruption Act. The CBI has found that private firms used their influence with the accused CMOs to get contracts for huge amounts.
