Gomti Riverfront project: CBI raids at 40 locations in UP

New Delhi, July 05: The Central Bureau of Investigation is conducting raids at 40 different locations in Uttar Pradesh after a case was registered to probe the irregularities in the Gomti Riverfront project which was launched by the Samajwadi Party. Raids are taking place at 40 locations in 13 districts including Agra and Lucknow. One place each in Rajasthan and West Bengal too are being raided.

The project was launched by the Samajwadi Party in 2015 when it was in power, with Akhilesh Yadav as Chief Minister. The project worth Rs 1,600 crore is marred by allegations of diversion of funds. This is the second CBI probe into the project. The first case was registered by the CBI in December 2017 based on the recommendation of the Uttar Pradesh government.

The probe was ordered when a committee found that only 60 per cent of the work had been carried out despite an expenditure of Rs 1,435 crore on the project. In the current case, several engineers, public servants and officials of the state irrigation department have been named as accused.