NRHM scam suspect attempts suicide after CBI questioning

A pharmacist who was on Monday questioned by a CBI team in a case related to NRHM scam and summoned again on Wednesday attempted suicide by consuming poison at his house in Maharajganj district on Tuesday.

He is undergoing treatment at BRD Medical College in Gorakhpur, where his condition was stated to be critical.

Pharmacist Ram Bilas Verma served on contract basis under the Ayush scheme and was posted at a community health centre at Dhani area in Maharajganj.

CBI's Chief Information Officer Dharini Mishra said a CBI team is camping in Gorakhpur for investigation in a case of alleged irregularities in purchase of medicines at CHCs in Gorakhpur, Kushinagar, Deoria and Maharajganj districts. The pharmacist is a suspect, she said.

Mishra said the man was questioned yesterday by a CBI team in Gorakhpur in the presence of several people.

Maharajganj chief medical officer Dr A K Srivastava said the pharmacist was rushed to the CHC at Pharenda area after his condition deteriorated at his house at Dhani in the morning. Later, he was referred to the medical college in Gorakhpur. The CMO said they did not know what substance the pharmacist had consumed.

On January 23, Sunil Kumar Verma, who was project engineer of Construction & Design Services of UP Jal Nigam and also an accused in the NRHM scam, had committed suicide by shooting himself at his residence in Vikas Nagar area of Lucknow. He was a co-accused with former family welfare minister Babu Singh Kushwaha. In a suicide note that he left, Verma had mentioned that he was upset since the CBI searched his house on January 4.

Besides, contractor Namit Tandon, who was also facing charges in the NRHM scam, had reportedly attempted suicide by jumping before a train on December 3 last year. He was found lying on the railway tracks with serious injuries on his head in Wazirganj area of Lucknow on December 3 last year.

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