Under the government’s policy of zero tolerance towards corruption, Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya on Sunday suspended four officials of Uttar Pradesh Rajkiya Nirman Nigam (UPRNN) after finding large-scale irregularities in the construction of a medical college in Bahraich having a budget of Rs 200 crore.

Maurya also ordered a probe against one of the retired accountants.

Sources said the state government had acquired agricultural land in Bahraich to construct a medical college there to strengthen health care facilities in the area so that the local people were not forced to come to Lucknow for treatment. The government had also sanctioned a budget of Rs 200 crore for the medical college.

During construction of the medical college building, there were several reports of use of sub-standard material as well as corruption. After reports of swindling of Rs 14 crore by some officials came to the knowledge of Maurya, he suspended four UPRNN officials and ordered a probe against a retired accountant. The UPRNN is the official agency constructing the Swashasi Rajkiya Medical College in Bahraich.

It had come to the knowledge of the deputy chief engineer that engineers and contractors engaged in the work had joined hands to siphon off the government fund by using sub-standard material.

On a report submitted by UPRNN Finance Advisor BK Prabhakar, a probe was ordered under Additional Project Manager Maninder Srivastava. After Srivastava submitted his findings, the same were forwarded to Maurya, who holds the PWD portfolio.

The government also got the matter probed by a special audit team of the Finance Department.

Sources said that on the basis of the joint report, Maurya ordered suspension of Project Manager Girish Chandra Chaturvedi, junior engineer RS Yadav, and two other senior officers, HP Bhatt and VK Singh.

Accountant Pradeep Agarwal was also found guilty but as he has already retired, a probe has bee ordered against him to initiate legal proceedings.

Sources said that the Noida-based company, Universal Construction, got the contract for constructing the medical college in Bahraich. The company appointed Lalit Pundeer as the project manager and he was looking after purchase of materials and arrangement of manpower.

Project Manager Girish Chandra Chaturvedi claimed that he had earlier noticed that the Universal Company was using substandard material and was involved in corruption and had sent a report is this regard to the government. He said a probe was also conducted on his complaint but still action was being taken against him along with other officers.