Attempts being made to scuttle probe into NRHM scam: BJP

Lucknow, Jan 7: Attempts were being made to derail the ongoing probe into the National Rural Health Mission scam in UP, state unit of BJP today alleged, and demanded that CBI should immediately seal all the offices where documents pertaining to the scam were being kept.

"In a bid to hinder the ongoing inquiry, documents and evidences related to the multi-crore scam spread across the Uttar Pradesh are being destroyed," party spokesman Vijay Bahadur Pathak told reporters here.

He alleged it was evident from the Thursday's incident, wherein some car-borne persons burnt documents related to health department near NBRI on Kanpur road. "This is not the first time when an attempt to destroy documents has been made. Similar cases have been reported from other districts, including Aligarh, Etah and Agra, as well," Pathak alleged.

He said that it was a serious matter due to involvement of senior officials in the scam. The BJP spokesman said that so far a number of senior officials, including a former Director General of Health, have been arrested by the CBI in connection with the NRHM scam.

"Is destroying evidences and documents is an attempt to save the bigwigs involved in the scam," Pathak asked. He demanded that the CBI should also take cognisance of such incidents and immediately seal all the offices where such an attempt was suspected.

He also said that the issue should not be politicised as it was related to poor people of the state. "It is purely a scam wherein money meant for medical facilities for poor was pocketed by few people therefore it should not be politicised," he said.

PTI