Gomti riverfront scam: CBI takes over probe, files FIR against 8 Uttar Pradesh engineers for financial anomalies

New Delhi: The CBI has taken over the investigation into alleged irregularities in the Rs 1,500 crore Gomti riverfront development project in Lucknow by registering an FIR against eight engineers, officials said on Friday. The Yogi Adityanath-led BJP government in Uttar Pradesh had constituted an inquiry into the beautification project of the Gomti riverfront carried out by the former Samajwadi Party government. The Adityanath government wanted the matter referred to the CBI, which took over the investigation on Thursday. [caption id=“attachment_4237033” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representaional image. AFP[/caption] It asked for an investigation into irregularities committed with a “criminal intent” in the implementation of the ‘Gomti River Channelisation Project’ and the ‘Gomti River Front Development’ by the state’s Department of Irrigation. The CBI has filed an FIR against then chief engineers Gulesh Chandra, SN Sharma, Qazim Ali, then superintendent engineers Mangal Yadav, Akhil Raman, Kamaleshwar Singh, Roop Singh Yadav and executive engineer Surendra Yadav. Gulesh Chandra, Shiv Mangal Yadav, Akhil Raman and Roop Singh Yadav have now retired, officials said. The state government constituted the committee, under retired Allahabad High Court judge Alok Kumar Singh, had indicated prima facie irregularities in the project in its report dated 16 May, 2017. The Uttar Pradesh police had registered the case on 19 June on the basis of the report. The state government had sought a CBI probe into the matter on 17 July, 2017. The Centre referred the matter to the CBI on 24 November 2017 on the basis of which the agency has taken over the investigation into the matter on Thursday. According to the procedure, the agency re-registered the FIR at the Gomti Nagar police station in Lucknow.