Thaindian News

Lucknow, June 28 (IANS) Uttar Pradesh’s former chief medical officer A.K. Shukla, who was booked on charges of embezzlement of rural health funds, here Tuesday said he was ready to face any inquiry in connection with the mysterious death of deputy chief medical officer Y.S. Sachan in jail.

“Allegations regarding the financial anomalies made against me are false. I have already given a statement to police to prove my stand,” Shukla, who now works as joint director, health, told reporters here.

He and Sachan were booked for financial lapses linked to central government-funded National Rural Health Mission (NRHM).

“His (Sachan’s) death was very unfortunate…As I have not done anything wrong, I am ready to face any kind of inquiry pertaining to his death…I had never pressurised Sachan on any occasion…It’s baseless,” he added.

Shukla was Lucknow’s chief medical officer (health) when chief medical officer (family welfare) B.P. Singh was murdered April 2.

A few days after Sachan was arrested following a first information report (FIR) against him regarding the financial anomalies, an FIR was also lodged against Shukla April 7.

“It is being said that I have not once been questioned in connection with the FIR. It is untrue…I have been interrogated by police on several occasions,” claimed Shukla, who appeared for the first time before the media after the mysterious death of Sachan.

Meanwhile, the chief judicial magistrate, who is carrying out the inquiry into the mysterious death of Sachan, has directed police to produce a copy of the post-mortem examination report, a CD of the autopsy’s video recording and other relevant documents.

The jail authorities have also been asked to produce evidence collected from the place where Sachan was found dead.

Sachan, the prime accused in B.P. Singh’s murder, was found dead in mysterious circumstances inside a Lucknow district jail toilet June 22.

His post-mortem examination report mentioned “excessive bleeding” as the cause of death and talked about nine wounds on the body, yet the officials rule out foul play.

Sachan was facing charges of not only masterminding B.P. Singh’s murder but also giving money for what was officially termed as “contract killing”.

Sachan’s death is the third in succession over alleged bungling in NRHM funds in Uttar Pradesh.

Prior to B.P.Singh, who was gunned down during his morning walk outside his residence in Lucknow’s posh Gomati Nagar locality on April 2, his predecessor Vinod Arya was also shot by masked motor-cyclists, just as he stepped out of his home for his morning walk in October 2010.

Award of huge contracts for supply of goods and equipment under NRHM and financial bungling were officially stated to be the cause behind both the murders.