HC orders CBI probe into Sachal Palna Grah project

The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court ordered on Tuesday a CBI probe into the Rs 1100 crore Sachal Palna Grah (mobile crèche) project of the Samajwadi Party government.

Justice Sudhir Agarwal and justice Virendra Kumar (II) took serious note on a PIL filed by Harish Kumar Varma alleging ‘gross misappropriation’ of funds in the project.

Passing the order, the court observed that the scheme was running only on papers.

The court had also summoned Renuka Kumar, principal secretary (women and child development), Uttar Pradesh, who was present on the occasion.

Advocate general, UP government, Raghvendra Singh was also present in the court.

“The court ordered the probe after finding misappropriations of funds in the project,” said advocate Vinay Tripathi, who had represented the petitioner in the court.

Previous Samajwadi Party government had launched the project in 2013-14 for construction workers with an object to provide crèche to their children aged up to six years.

It may be pointed out that the PIL was filed in 2014 on which the court had ordered a probe by the principal secretary (women and child development). Incidentally, Renuka Kumar was heading the department in the SP government also.

Kumar in the report had pointed out gross misappropriation of funds. The report was submitted to the court and the state government but even after the report, the then state government did not take any action against those involved in the scam.

“No one was in a position to oppose the CBI probe as an official (Renuka Kumar) of the state government had pointed out misappropriation of funds in the project,” said Tripathi.