ED attaches Rs 196 cr assets of ex-UP health minister

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) today attached assets worth Rs 196 crore belonging to BSP chief Mayawati's close aide Babu Singh Kushwaha in connection with National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) money laundering case.
The ED, in its attachment order, alleged that Kushwaha, as health minister of UP, had helped many private firms in rigging contracts for the health scheme.
The agency had registered a criminal case in this scam in 2012 in Lucknow after taking cognisance of a CBI FIR in this case.
The agency has earlier questioned the Kushwaha in this case along with many other accused.
"The attached assets include various movable and immovable assets in the name of Kushwaha. An amount of Rs 7. 12 crore have been utilised as book value purchase of various properties in the name of companies, firms and individuals related to the former Minister and his associates.

"The present market value of these assets is Rs 196 approximately," the order said.
The attachments, the order said, have been made under the provisions of the Prevention if Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The ED had registered a total of 14 separate cases against Kushwaha and others to probe the alleged financial irregularities in the NRHM scheme and it has earlier attached assets worth Rs 60 crore of Kushwaha.