Click to play videoLucknow: Sunil Verma, a project manager responsible for the upgradation of primary health centres under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), shot himself to death on Monday morning at his residence in Vikas Nagar. Verma is apparently the fourth official allegedly involved in the NRHM scam to kill himself.
Three other UP government officials embroiled in the multi-crore scam - BP Singh, VK Arya and VS Sachan - are already dead.
Verma was being questioned by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with the Rs 5000 crore scam.
He was a project manager with the Construction and Design Division of the UP Jal Nigam and was overseeing all the construction related work under the NRHM scheme.
He was questioned by the CBI on January 4. His family said that he was depressed after the CBI raided his house on the said date.
Verma, in his suicide note, wrote, "I am innocent. The CBI questioned me and I am very upset about it."
Verma was raided after he was accused of bungling Rs 6 crore while upgrading primary healthcare centres, along with Babu Singh Kushawa. The CBI denies questioning or even summoning him.
UP Chief Minister Mayawati, however, blames the investigative agency for the engineer’s death. She said that the CBI was putting too much of pressure on the officials.
The Opposition, not to be left behind in this election season, has floated its own conspiracy theories.
Congress leader Digvijaya Singh alleged that Verma’s death was a case of murder and not suicide. BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said, "This is fourth death reported in the NRHM scam. All these are small players. What about the major serious players? Why is the CBI not investigating them?"
Mayawati, however, hit back saying she was being targeted.
The CBI, that is probing the scam under directions from the Allahabad High Court, is yet to crack the first 3 deaths. Sunil Verma's death points to the kind of murk that the 1000-page CAG report recently found.
Accounts worth Rs 5000 crore were bungled. Every rule in the book was flouted to siphon off money from a scheme that was meant to provide health care to the poorest. The Uttar Pradesh government, it seems, has a lot to answer.
(For updates you can share with your friends, follow IBNLive on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Pinterest)
More on IBNLive Right Now
MOST SHARED
PHOTOGALLERY
