Both Lucknow CMOs ‘killed by same pistol’

While a formal report from the ballistic experts is yet to be received,the officials of the Special Task Force (STF) investigating the murder informally collected the information from the experts.

Moreover,the officials have come to know that the pistol used in the crime was not a country-made weapon but a sophisticated 7.65 bore calibre,also known as .30 bore calibre. A senior STF official said such kind of pistols

are usually smuggled from Afghanistan and are sold at prices ranging from Rs 40,000 to Rs 60,000.

Sources said that the STF has identified some suspects who may have fled UP on the day Dr Singh was murdered.

The probe team feels that the same killers were involved in the murder of a contractor named Ajay Prakash Singh alias Singh in Mau on August 29,2009. Like Dr Arya and Dr Singh,he was also shot dead by two motorcycle riders with a .30 bore pistol. Jailed MLA Mukhtar Ansari and his associate Rakesh Pandey were named accused in that case.

The shells recovered from the spot where the contractor was killed are also being examined to find whether the same weapon was used in Mau too.

The STF,meanwhile,let off Yogendra Singh Chauhan and Girijesh Pandey,president and general secretary of UP Health Ministerial Staff Association respectively,after questioning them for 36 hours.

However,both of them were asked not to leave their respective houses without informing the local police,and join the investigation whenever summoned.

Amid this Special DGP Brij Lal today said the probe into the CMO¿s murder has led the investigation team to detect a large number of financial irregularities in the implementation of the National Rural Health Mission.

“During examination of records of the Family Welfare Department by the STF and police probing the murder of CMO B P Singh,a number of irregularities were detected,” Lal said.

Deputy CMO YS Sachan,district administrative officer Chandarjeet Yadav and senior clerk Prem Chandra Varma were arrested in this connection on Tuesday night. “It was found that there was hypothetical use of vehicles for publicity and verification of various programmes under NRHM and funds were withdrawn through fake bills,” Lal added.

He said funds were also withdrawn by showing manpower in excess of the sanctioned force and fake payments were made for medicines and equipment. “It was detected that payments were not made to beneficiaries under the Janani Suraksha Yojna and the officers drew the cheques in their own favour,” Lal said.

“The trio have confessed to irregularities and they are being interrogated in depth,” he added.

When asked whether the trio could be linked with the murder of CMO Singh,Lal said nothing could be said as of now. “A number of people were picked up,detained and some of them have been released,” he added.