NRHM scam accused gets bail as CBI fails to give chargesheet

Senior bureaucrat Pradeep Shukla, an accused in National Rural Health Mission scam in Uttar Pradesh, was today given bail by a special CBI court here when the agency failed to file its chargesheet against him within the stipulated time of 90 days.

Senior bureaucrat Pradeep Shukla, an accused in National Rural Health Mission scam in Uttar Pradesh, was on Wednesday given bail by a special CBI court in Ghaziabad when the agency failed to file its chargesheet against him within the stipulated time of 90 days.

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Special CBI Judge A K Singh granted him bail on a personal bond of Rs five lakh and two sureties of five lakh each.

CBI sources said the agency did not file the chargesheet against him because the Centre did not accord sanction for his prosecution.

They said the agency has sought permission to prosecute the 1981-batch IAS officer of UP cadre in connection with alleged irregularities in implementation of NRHM scam about a month back.

But despite the gravity of charges against him, the Department of Personnel and Training did not give the necessary sanction, they said.

In the absence of sanction for prosecution, CBI could not proceed with the filing of the chargesheet, they said.

Known as powerful bureaucrat in the state, Shukla was arrested by the agency on May 10 this year.

According to rules, CBI had to file a chargesheet within 90 days of his arrest to keep him in judicial custody.