UP Lokayukta clears Maya but charges her men in statue scam

Uttar Pradesh Lokayukta N K Mehrotra on Monday gave his probe report to the government on the allegations of corruption in the construction of several parks and monuments built in Lucknow and Noida during the predecessor Mayawati regime in the state.

The probe report pegs the scam, primarily involving siphoning of public money, at almost Rs 1,400 crore. It clears the former chief minister Mayawati of charges in this regard, while indicting two of her cabinet colleagues, Naseemuddin Siddiqui and Babu Singh Kushwaha.

According to sources, the report indicts a total of 199 persons - politicians, bureaucrats, engineers, suppliers and contractors. It is now for the state government to follow through and register police cases against the accused.

Kushwaha is currently in jail for alleged wrongdoing on the National Rural Health Mission. He is no longer in Mayawati's BSP political grouping. Siddiqui remains a close aide of Mayawati and is considered the Muslim face of the BSP.