CBI searches homes of former BSP health minister of UP
02 Jun 2012
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Saturday conducted searches at the Lucknow and Kanpur homes of Anant Mishra, the former health minister of Uttar Pradesh, in connection with the Rs5,000-crore National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) scam.
Mishra, who was the health minister in Mayawati's government, has already been questioned twice by the CBI in connection with the death of a health official.
The agency has so far arrested 21 persons in connection with the scam and has registered over a dozen FIRs. The arrested include Babu Singh Kushwaha, the controversial former family welfare minister of Uttar Pradesh, and Pradeep Shukla, a former principal secretary.
On Thursday, the CBI filed a charge-sheet against Kushwaha, and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) legislator Ram Prasad Jaiswal.
Kushwaha has emerged as a controversial figure after BJP president Nitin Gadkari tried to woo him just before the UP assembly elections, after Mayawati's party threw him out.
Senior BJP leader LK Advani was critical of Gadkari's move to give a ticket to Kushwaha, and wrote about it in his blog two days ago, indicating a major rift within the party.
