The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) conducted search operations in Ghaziabad, Lucknow and Agra in Uttar Pradesh and Vapi in Gujarat, in connection with alleged multi-crore National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) scam.

The Lucknow bench of Allahabad High Court on Wednesday condemned the CBI for slow progress of the ongoing investigation into the multi-crore scam and the connected murder of two Chief Medical Officers in Lucknow.

After being pulled up by court, the CBI filed new cases of alleged irregularities and embezzlement against unknown employees of Utter Pradesh Director General of Family Welfare office.

In one of the cases, the federal investigation agency alleges that officials bought medicines from a Rajasthan-based company at very high prices with money allocated under the NRHM.

The CBI has so far filed a total of seventeen cases in connection with the alleged swindling of NRHM funds worth more than Rs. 10,000 crore.

Former Family Welfare Minister Babu Singh Kushwaha and former secretary Pradeep Shukla has been named as prime accused in numerous of the NRHM scam cases.

Babu Singh Kushwaha's wife Shivkanya was yesterday questioned by the investigating agency in connection with the scam. It may be noted here that Shivkanya is the Director of the trust that was allegedly used to launder the unlawful gratification got for awarding contracts in NRHM.

Chief Medical Officer Dr. Arya was killed in October last year, while another Chief Medical Officer Dr. Singh was murdered six months later. Both the killings were said to be linked to the Rs 5,700 crore NRHM scam. Police arrested their deputy, Dr. YS Sachan, for masterminding both the murders, but he was found dead inside Lucknow jail.