LUCKNOW: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Wednesday filed a chargesheet against six persons including former executive engineer of irrigation department Roop Singh Yadav, his junior assistant Raj Kumar Yadav, two directors of a firm and an advisor of another private firm in the Rs 1,600-crore Gomti Riverfront Development Project scam case. The private firm has also been named in the chargesheet. The project was launched by the previous Samajwadi Party government.
The CBI started investigating the case following a recommendation by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath just after he took over in March 2017. In November same year, the CBI took over the case. It filed an FIR against eight engineers of the irrigation department of different ranks in connection with Gomti River Channelization Project and Gomti River Front Development by the department.
The Enforcement Directorate also filed a criminal case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in this regard in March 2018.
The CBI said that the chargesheet was filed before the CBI court in Lucknow under the charges of criminal breach of trust, forgery of valuable security, forgery for purpose of cheating, demand of illegal gratification, criminal misconduct by public servant and prevention of corruption act.
The chargesheet has been filed against the then executive engineer Roop Singh Yadav, junior assistant (Irrigation Works) Raj Kumar Yadav, two directors of a private company -- Himanshu Gupta and Kavish Gupta -- along with senior advisor of another firm Badri Shrestha.
The CBI officials said that during the probe, it has surfaced that the accused awarded the work for intercepting trunk drain to an ineligible private firm and the date of tender was twice extended to accommodate the said firm.
“Forged documents of another bidder and private partner were also arranged by the accused to complete the quorum of three participants in the tender. The agreement for the work was allegedly executed by the accused without obtaining the approval and allotment of funds,” said the CBI. The probe was still pending against others named in the case. Investigators said the exact value of the scam and financial irregularity would be ascertained only after getting full details.
The project involved construction of a rubber dam to maintain the water level in the Gomti river, a stadium, an amphitheatre for 2,000 people, bicycle and jogging tracks, a play area for children and a musical fountain. The project was partially inaugurated by former chief minister Akhilesh Yadav in November 2016.
However, after taking over as the CM, Yogi Adityanath got a probe done by a high court judge and handed over the case to the CBI after prima facie evidence of irregularities were found.