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NRHM scam: Court summons ex-BSP minister, former IAS,three others to face trial

On December 19, district and sessions judge Sanjay Shanker Pandey, who is also special judge PML Act, summoned Pradeep Shukla, Babu Singh Kushwaha and three brothers Rakesh Kumar Tandon, Pradeep Kumar Tandon and Anoop Kumar Tandon on the plea of Directorate of Enforcement, Lucknow office.

Published on: Dec 21, 2022, 23:22:59 IST
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Lucknow: The district and sessions judge has summoned former principal secretary (health) in the Bahujan Samaj Party government Pradeep Shukla, former family welfare minister Babu Singh Kushwaha and three others to appear in court on January 6 to face trial under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 in the multi-crore National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) scam.

The then government had awarded several contracts to Tandon brothers in various NRHM projects without fulfilling norms, said the ED’s complaint in court. (Pic for representation)
The then government had awarded several contracts to Tandon brothers in various NRHM projects without fulfilling norms, said the ED’s complaint in court. (Pic for representation)

On December 19, district and sessions judge Sanjay Shanker Pandey, who is also special judge PML Act, summoned Pradeep Shukla, Babu Singh Kushwaha and three brothers Rakesh Kumar Tandon, Pradeep Kumar Tandon and Anoop Kumar Tandon on the plea of Directorate of Enforcement, Lucknow office.

The Tandon brothers own M/s Anod Plasma Spray Pvt Ltd, Anod Pharma Pvt Ltd and M/s Sofgel Capsulation Pvt Ltd. The then government had awarded several contracts to them in various NRHM projects without fulfilling norms, said the ED’s complaint in court.

In his order, the district and sessions judge pointed out that Pradeep Shukla had entered into criminal conspiracy with Babu Singh Kushwaha to misappropriate NRHM funds by awarding contract at exorbitant rate and caused loss of 6 .03 crore to the government exchequer.

Their act was to ensure wrongful gain to the three companies of Tandon brothers, said the court in its order.

This contract was related with the RO installation and tenders were manipulated for the benefit of Tandon brothers.

The court also ordered that further supplementary charge-sheet would be filed against any other known/unknown accused, if during course of further investigation any further details were revealed.

In its complaint to the court, the ED has pointed out that an FIR was lodged by the CBI on January 18, 2012 and charge-sheet was filed by it before the court of special judge, anti -corruption, CBI Ghaziabad.

It was related with financial irregularities, corruption and criminal conspiracy in implementation of the NRHM schemes implemented in Uttar Pradesh.

  • Pawan Dixit
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    Pawan Dixit

    Pawan Dixit, Assistant Editor, brings over 20 years of frontline reporting experience to the newsroom. A specialist on Uttar Pradesh politics and governance, he has reported from the ground across the state’s most consequential stories. He cut his teeth in eastern UP, spending 15 years covering the region. Based in Varanasi, he reported the 2012 UP Assembly polls and the 2014 Lok Sabha elections that reshaped the state’s political map. Moving to Lucknow in 2016, he has since led coverage of the 2017 and 2022 UP Assembly elections and the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. His reporting tracks the BJP’s strategy, opposition moves, and voter sentiment across all 75 districts. Pawan has been a constant presence in Ayodhya since 2016. He reported the entire arc of the Ram Mandir movement — from the legal fight to the Supreme Court verdict, through temple construction, to the inauguration. He continues to track every development at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. On the state beat, he covers the BJP, the Industrial Development Department, and handles key outstation political assignments. He also reports major cases from the district court, Lucknow bench of the High Court, and the State Information Commission. Along with this, he also reports on NGT's important decisions related to UP. Known for sharp sourcing and clear analysis, Pawan connects politics, policy, infrastructure and faith — the forces driving UP today. He has reported developments in Ayodhya and Ram Mandir movement since 2016. The Supreme Court's Ram Mandir verdict, temple construction and the its opening have been reported by him. He reports all developments in Ayodhya and Ram Mandir Trust. He covers state BJP, Industrial development department, outstation political assignments, reports special cases from district court, high court and state information commissionRead More