NHRM Scam: UP health official found dead

The NHRM scam in Uttar Pradesh has turned murkier with another health official found murdered at his home, the fifth victim in the last one year after the alleged bungling of Rs. 10,000 crore of central funds surfaced.

The UP police found the body of Mahendra Sharma, an Accountant, lying in a pool of blood with severe injuries on face and head, from the Pasgawan health centre in Lakhimpur Kheri district on Wednesday evening.

The police said that Mr. Sharma aged 52 years has been reported missing since February 7.

The CBI, which is probing the scam has asked the State police to beef up securityof witnesses and suspects.

In 2010-11, two senior doctors associated with the Health Department were murdered within months. Another official was found dead inside Lucknow jail. In January, a U.P Jal Nigam officer allegedly committed suicide because he was being investigated in connection with the scam.

Congress Campaigner Priyanka Gandhi has blamed the Mayawati Government for the misuse of funds which was allocated for the improvement of health facilities in the state.

 BJP Spokesperson Ravishankar Prasad said that the larger issue is the liability of Mayawati herself as the Chief Minister and the earlier regime of Mulayam Singh Yadav because the entire scam was spread over last 7-8 years.

Family members of the accountant have accused the health department officials of harrassment.

 Mithilesh Sharma, the wife of the deceased, said that frequent transfer of her husband had depressed him a lot. She also accused the health officials of withholding his salary.

Mithilesh alleged that after solemnising their daughter's marriage on November 21st last year, when Sharma reported for his duty in Pasgawan, he was informed of his transfer.

Meanwhile, the CBI in New Delhi denied having questioned Sharma in connection with the scam.

CBI Spokesperson said that CBI has neither questioned nor summoned this person. CBI has always been in close touch with the local police reagarding safety concerns of potential witnesses, suspects etc.

Reported by

    AR

 

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