CBI to seek lookout circular against Mayawati aide

The political atmosphere in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh is set to get charged up once again with the CBI preparing to approach the competent court for issuing a look out circular (LOC) against Anant Kumar Mishra, former UP minister and a close aide of BSP supremo Mayawati, to prevent his escape from the country. The Special CBI court in Ghaziabad on September 5 had issued non-bailable warrant against Mr Mishra who did not appear before it despite summons in connection with a case pertaining to the multi-crore National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) scam.

“Since the court has already issued an NBW against Mr Mishra, the agency may approach the court for issuing LOC against him also. He is untraceable,” sources said. The court had fixed the next date of hearing as September 19 and asked CBI to produce him before it. CBI had filed a chargesheet in NRHM case on July 13 this year in which it is alleged that Mr Mishra took bribes from drug suppliers for posting Chief Medical Officers in the districts.

“Investigations have revealed that in his bid to show the bribe amount as white, Mr Mishra had acquired two Kolkata-based firms and purchased flats in Delhi’s posh Safdarjung Enclave, Gomti Nagar in Lucknow and one each in Kanpur and Ghaziabad. Besides, he also bought three commercial properties in Kanpur,” sources said. The chargesheet, filed under different sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act, also mentioned that Mr Mishra appointed his parents as directors in both Kolkata-based firms which he allegedly acquired from the bribe amount, they added.

Massive irregularities were allegedly committed in the “selective appointment/transfers” of over 100 CMOs/district project officers in 72 districts for the disbursement of funds under the Centrally-sponsored scheme in the state during Mayawati’s tenure, sources said. Investig-ators found that some junior medical officers were promoted to the post of project officers due to their political connections, they added.

The DPOs, sources said, were instrumental in aiding corruption in the implementation of NRHM schemes in UP.

Large scale irregularities in the implementation of NRHM in UP came to light after two CMOs — Dr V.K. Arya and Dr B.P. Singh — were shot in Lucknow within a period of six months in 2011. Besides, deputy CMO Y.S. Sachan, who was an accused in both the murder case and NRHM irregularities in the Lucknow CMO office, was found dead in Lucknow jail in June, 2011.