CBI questions Mayawati in NRHM scam

Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati has been questioned by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for her alleged involvement in the multi-crore National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) scam after the agency claimed to have got "new evidence" against her.

Mayawati was questioned by the CBI in New Delhi on Monday to unearth larger conspiracy in the scam, official sources said.

The CBI has registered 74 FIRs and filed 48 chargesheets in the NRHM scam.

During her examination by the CBI officials, Mayawati is alleged to have evaded answers on crucial questions and even feigned ignorance on some of the decisions taken during her tenure as the Chief Minister.

The quizzing of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief was done as the probe agency has claimed to have got new evidence against her on bifurcation of the Health and Family Welfare Department and creation of 100 posts of District Project Officers who were allegedly instrumental in alleged corruption in the implementation of NRHM schemes, they said.

Mayawati was the chief minister of the state when the Department of Health and Family Welfare was bifurcated.

While she or her party was not immediately available for comments, the former Chief Minister had recently accused the Centre of misusing CBI for political gains ahead of Bihar elections and claimed she had no involvement in the case.

CBI alleges that the bifurcation of department was done so that the NRHM funds could be placed directly under the charge of the Department of Family Welfare which was under Minister Babu Singh Kushwaha-- already charge sheeted by the agency.

"Only those persons were posted as District Project Officers (DPOs), Family Welfare, who allegedly facilitated in award of the contract to the chosen suppliers and in lieu, the accused public servants obtained huge amount of illegal gratification.

"In pursuance of the said criminal conspiracy, bifurcation of the health department was proposed and got approved against prescribed norms of NRHM as laid down by Government of India," CBI FIR has alleged.

The sources said they have found that the creation of 100 posts of the DPO in the state was done in an irregular manner.