UP gives CBI prosecution sanction against ex-executive engineer

LUCKNOW : The state government on Tuesday gave sanction to the CBI to prosecute former executive engineer, Lucknow Division, Sharda Canal, Roop Singh Yadav, and former junior assistant, Irrigation Works, Lucknow, Raj Kumar Yadav, for allegedly resorting to corrupt practices in the execution of Lucknow’s Rs 1600 crore Gomti River Front Development Project.

The CBI had on February 17, 2021 filed a chargesheet against five people, including Roop Singh Yadav, Raj Kumar Yadav and two directors of M/s KKSpun Pipe Pvt Ltd-- Himanshu Gupta and Kavish Gupta-- and a senior advisor of M/s Brand Eagles Longjian Badri Shrestha that had joint venture with M/s KK Spun Pipe Pvt Ltd. The chargesheet was filed at the CBI court in Lucknow in the matter related to anomalies in awarding work of intercepting trunk drain of the project, read a press note from the state home department.

The statement said the state government had given clearance to the CBI request to initiate trial against the two government servants.

In the matter, Roop Singh Yadav and Raj Kumar were arrested by the CBI on December 20, 2020.

The CBI had registered the case on November 30, 2017. A CBI official said it was alleged in the FIR that irregularities were committed in implementation of “Gomti River Channelization Project” and “Gomti River Front Development” by irrigation department of the UP government.

The official said it was further alleged that the accused awarded the work to an ineligible private firm and the date of tender was extended twice to accommodate the said firm.

In addition, the forged documents of another bidder/private party were also arranged to complete the quorum of three participants in the tender, he said.

The official said the investigation revealed that the agreement for the work was allegedly executed by the accused without obtaining the approval and allotment of funds.