Gomti Riverfront Scam: CBI Raids Multiple Locations In UP, Rajasthan And Bengal

The anti-corruption wing of Lucknow unit of CBI lodged an FIR last week against 189 people under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Prevention of Corruption Act.

gomti river front scam

Lucknow: In a sudden turn of events, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registered a fresh case in connection with the alleged irregularities in famous rs 1,500 crore Gomti riverfront development project.

The Anti-Corruption Wing conducted raids at multilpe locations in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and West Bengal. In UP, raids have been conducted in the capital Lucknow, Noida, Ghaziabad, Bulandshahr and Rae Bareli. 

The development has come after an FIR was registered last week against 189 people under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Prevention of Corruption Act.

Significantly, the River Front scam happened during the tenure of previous Samajwadi Party government but the then Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav is not named as an accused in the case. Even after the release of Rs 1437 crore, only 60 percent work was done. The institutions working for the river front did not complete the work even after spending 95 percent of the budget. 

There are many serious allegations against several former chief engineers, superintending engineers, other engineers and public servants of the state irrigation department, private contractors and businessmen associated with the construction work of Gomti River Front. 

Engineers are accused of giving work to tainted companies, buying expensive goods from abroad, fraud in financial transactions, spending on foreign tours of politicians & officials, and not getting the work done according to the map.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath led BJP government in 2017 constituted a judicial commission ordering an inquiry into the river front project scam. A four-member committee appointed in its report had alleged that only 60 per cent work had been carried out despite an expenditure of Rs 1,435 crore (95 per cent of project cost) on the project.