The CBI will soon question former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati in connection with alleged swindling of funds in the implementation of Centrally-funded National Rural Health Mission scam.
CBI sources said BSP supremo Mayawati, who was at the helm of affairs in UP during 2007-12 during which NRHM misappropriation is alleged, will be called for questioning in connection with the case.
She will be examined soon to unearth the larger conspiracy of the `10,000 crore scam. The Department of Health and Family Welfare was split into two - Health and Family Welfare during Mayawati’s regime. Besides, as many as 100 posts of District Programme Officers (DPOs) were created irregularly during her tenure, the sources said.
The sources said the agency needs clarification on the rationale to split the department of health and family welfare, irregular creation of the post of DPOs and funding of some projects under NRHM in which some top officials including the then Principal Secretary, Health, Pradeep Shukla has been charged by the agency.
It has been alleged that a huge sum has been siphoned off by politicians, bureaucrats and doctors from the funds meant for the NRHM, a Central Government scheme meant to provide health care facilities to people in rural areas.
The CBI has so far registered 74 cases in connection with its probe into the irregularities in implementation of NRHM and filed chargesheets in 48 cases. The trial is going on in some cases in a designated court at Ghaziabad.
As many as five persons had died in mysterious circumstances or were allegedly murdered in an attempt to cover up the large-scale irregularities in the case.
Babu Singh Kushwaha, a former UP Cabinet Minister during the BSP rule, was arrested on March 3, 2012 and is still languishing in jail.