The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) today raided the Lucknow residence of former Uttar Pradesh Minister Babu Singh Kushwaha in connection with irregularities in the National Rural Health Mission, NRHM.

It also conducted raids at over 50 other locations in Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Delhi.

Besides Lucknow, the places where the searches were carried out include Delhi, Kanpur, Noida, Moradabad, Sonipat, Amethi and Ghazhiabad.

CBI spokesperson Dharini Mishra told AIR that the 5 new cases were registered on Monday at a designated court in Lucknow after which CBI sought search warrants against the accused people.

Mr. Kushwaha has been named as an accused with 50 others including government officials in FIRs registered against the NRHM officials and private companies. They have been charged with criminal misconduct and abuse of office. Mr. Kushwaha was sacked from Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in November last year and joined BJP yesterday.

AIR correspondent reports that the CBI has been investigating the case after a direction from the Allahabad High Court in November last year.

The case relates to alleged financial irregularities in the supply of medicines and medical equipment under the NRHM scheme which was meant to be implemented by 72 Chief Medical Officers (CMOs) and other nodal officers across the state.

The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has allocated nearly 10,000 crore rupees to Uttar Pradesh since the scheme came into being in 2005.

The CBI is also probing the murders of two CMOs and a Deputy CMO which are allegedly linked to the scam. It has already questioned Mr. Kushwaha in connection with these murders.