Up Govt Okays Prosecution Of Sp Leader In Ayurveda Scam

The Uttar Pradesh government yesterday accorded permission to CBI to prosecute former health minister and senior Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Balram Yadav and a senior IAS officer in the multi-crore ayurveda scam.

The permission to CBI to prosecute Yadav and R K Sharma, former state health secretary, was given by Chief Minister Mayawati, an official spokesman said. Earlier, in February this year, Uttar Pradesh Governor Romesh Bhandari had refused permission to CBI to prosecute Yadav and Sharma. However, the CBI made a fresh requisition to the BSP-BJP coalition government to review the decision.

Chief Minister Mayawati, while according permission to prosecute Yadav and Sharma, said it was not necessary for the government to evaluate various evidences collected by the CBI for prosecution but this should be left to the court. For the government what is important is the prima facie evidence to allow the investigating agency to prosecute someone, the Chief Minister said in her communication. The government had earlier given permission to prosecute five persons including Shivraj Singh and four others of the ayurveda directorate.

Shivraj Singh, who was suffering from cancer, died recently.

While Balram Yadav was the health minister in the then Mulaym Singh Yadav government, R K Sharma held the post of health secretary during the same regime.