Ex-CMO BP Singh carried licensed gun, feared for life

In the course of its probe into the murders of the two ex-UP chief medical officers (CMOs), the CBI has learnt that one of them, BP Singh, used to carry a licensed gun with him as he feared for his life. Rajesh Ahuja reports.

In the course of its probe into the murders of the two ex-UP chief medical officers (CMOs), the CBI has learnt that one of them, BP Singh, used to carry a licensed gun with him as he feared for his life.

HT Image

"We have been told that BP Singh always carried a licensed weapon for his safety. His killers knew about it. That's why they fired 13 rounds on him as they apprehended retaliatory fire from him. But on the day of the murder he was not carrying it," said a senior CBI official.

This is just one of the bits of information the agency has unearthed while going into the murky depths of the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) scam.

Investigators say the creation of a separate post of CMO (family welfare) seems to have led to the murders of VK Arya (on October 27, 2010) and Singh (on April 2, 2011).

NRHM spending came under the CMO (family welfare). In May 2009, the UP government created a post of district project officer, which was equivalent to the post of CMO. In October 2010, the post was renamed as CMO (family welfare). The rest of the functions were vested in the post of CMO (health).

After the murder of Singh, the state government abolished the post of CMO (family welfare), which was a coveted office.

According to CBI sources, the Uttar Pradesh Provincial Medical Service Association had challenged the creation of the post of CMO (family welfare).

Singh was general secretary of the association. The CBI has also learnt a CMO bribed his way to his office. "We are in the process of verifying the information," a source said.

The agency has arrested another ex-CMO AK Shukla in connection with the murder of Arya.

"Shukla is likely to be charged with the murder of BP Singh as well because both the killings are linked. The two shooters fired five rounds on Arya. Some of the bullets have matched with those fired on Singh. Therefore, at least one weapon was the same in both the murders," said the agency official.