UP NRHM scam: Trial to begin on Jan 6

LUCKNOW: A district and sessions judge has summoned former Uttar Pradesh family welfare minister Babu Singh Kushwaha, former IAS officer Pradeep Shukla, and three others to appear in court on January 6, 2023, to face trial under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 in the multi-crore National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) scam.

Judge Sanjay Shanker Pandey, who is also special judge PMLA, has issued summons to Shukla, Kushwaha and three brothers Rakesh Kumar Tandon, Pradeep Kumar Tandon and Anoop Kumar Tandon on the plea of Directorate of Enforcement, Lucknow office.

The Tandon brothers own M/s Anod Plasma Spray Pvt Ltd, Anod Pharma Pvt Ltd and M/s Sofgel Capsulation Pvt Ltd.

The then Mayawati government had awarded several contracts to them in various NRHM projects without fulfilling norms, the ED said in court.

In his order, Judge Pandey pointed out that Shukla had entered into criminal conspiracy with Kushwaha to misappropriate NRHM funds by awarding contract at exorbitant rate and caused loss of Rs 6.03 crore to the government exchequer.

Their act was to ensure wrongful gain to the three companies of Tandon brothers, said the court.

This contract was related with the RO installation and tenders were manipulated for the benefit of Tandon brothers. The court also ordered that further supplementary charge-sheet would be filed against any other known/unknown accused, if during course of further probe any further details were revealed.

In its complaint, the ED has pointed out that an FIR was lodged by the CBI on January 18, 2012 and charge sheet was filed by it before the court of special judge, anti -corruption, CBI Ghaziabad.

It was related with financial irregularities, corruption and criminal conspiracy in implementation of NRHM schemes implemented in the state.