Initially wary of acting against former ministers Nasimuddin Siddiqui and Babu Singh Kushwaha for siphoning off Rs 1410 crore in construction of memorials of Dalit icons, sleuths of Vigilance Establishment dispatched two of the eight cases to state government seeking prosecution sanction against 47 officers.
Sources claimed that the remaining cases which being probed will be sent to the government very soon, after which Kushwaha and Siddiqui and some top officials would have to face legal heat. So far, the probe team has only nailed two officers.
Sources in Vigilance Establishment confirmed that after finding delay in completing probe into the multi-crore memorial scam, probe officials dispatched two cases to the government seeking prosecution sanction.
Sources said that the probe team initially found officers guilty of issuing contract without inviting tenders, engaged in mining directly through consortium instead of making purchase of stones through those with mining licenses etc. The officers were also found guilty of purchasing pink stone for the memorials without conforming to the laid procedure.
Sources said that initially the erring officials would face trial but in coming days, several bureaucrats and ministers in the then Mayawati regime would have to face action. They claimed that even Mayawati could find herself in trouble as the probe team is also scanning her role and might seek prosecution sanction against her.
Earlier former lokayukta Justice (retd.) NK Mehrotra after probing the matter, sent his report for action but the Akhilesh Yadav government asked the Vigilance Establishment to probe the case. Upset with the stand, Mehrotra despatched a Special Report to Governor Ram Naik asking him to direct government to submit an `Action Taken Report’ in the Assembly.
Besides confirming a scam of over Rs 1400 crore, the lokayukta also recommended recovery of money from guilty ministers, bureaucrats, engineers and contractors. He also sought that FIRs be lodged against 199 persons against whom evidences of getting cuts surfaced. These included 54 engineers, 37 accountants and 60 firm owners engaged in construction. The lokayukta also recommended lodging of FIR against all 19 people including Siddiqui and Kushwaha.
In his report to the former CM sent in 2013, the lokayukta concluded that Siddiqui and Kushwaha were at the centre of the scam. Siddiqui was holding 19 departments including PWD and Kushwaha was Mining minister in Mayawati regime.
About Rs 4188 crore were spent on purchase, finishing and transportation of stones for thse memorials. About 35 percent amount was pocketed by ministers, bureaucrats, contractors and engineers engaged in the construction, the lokayukta had concluded in his report.
The scam was unearthed in May 2012 when police conducted a preliminary investigation on a complaint and found that anomalies took place from plantation of trees to allotment of construction contracts. large scale irregularities were also detected in mining and purchase of sand stones for construction in lucknow and Noida, import of palm trees for plantation in the memorials and purchase of lights for beautification.