Another IAS officer under scanner for NRHM scam

After Pradeep Shukla, former principal secretary of health and family welfare, another IAS officer is under the scanner for his alleged role in the NRHM scam in Uttar Pradesh. The CBI wants to question Navneet Kumar Sehgal, who was secretary to former chief minister Mayawati and also chairman of Jal Nigam, it is learnt.

An officer of the 1988 batch, Sehgal is currently posted as secretary in the Religious Affairs Department.

CBI sources said they need to question Sehgal in the light of allegations made by D K Singh, an accused who was coordinator of Nehru Yuva Kendra in Lucknow, but operated as a middleman to help a Lucknow-based private firm get a big NRHM contract.

The NRHM directorate had allotted the work of maintenance and replacement of electrical appliances in 134 district hospitals, involving an expenditure of Rs 13.4 crore, to Construction and Design Services (C&DS) of Jal Nigam in 2009-2010.

C&DS, in turn, awarded the contract of civil works to Ghaziabad-based Surgicon Medi Equip Pvt Ltd and the contract of installation of electrical appliances to Lucknow-based Modern Enterprises.

The CBI has found that the irregularities in the works caused the exchequer a loss of Rs 7.94 crore.

CBI sources said Singh has alleged that Sehgal, as chairman of Jal Nigam, helped him in getting the contract for Modern Enterprises.

R K Singh, the owner of Modern Enterprises, was arrested along with P K Bhukesh, Director of Construction and Design Services (C&DS) of Jal Nigam, in Delhi on November 15. Both are behind bars.

Asked about Singh's allegations and the CBI's move to question him, Sehgal said, "The allegations against me are baseless. I am unaware of any such matters and those involved in the scam will face the consequences."

CBI sources said Bhukesh has also spoken of Singh's links with Sehgal and that he got instructions from the IAS officer to help D K Singh.

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