The activities have intensified ahead of the upcoming assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh next year. The vigilance team investigating the memorial scam during the BSP government's tenure has become active once again. After interrogating a prominent minister of the BSP government, Nasimuddin Siddiqui, the vigilance team has now summoned Babu Singh Kushwaha to record his statement on August 3.
In the 1400 crore memorial scam during the BSP government, Vigilance conducted a 5-hour interrogation with Nasimuddin Siddiqui, who is now the media in-charge of Congress. After questioning Nasimuddin on July 19 last week, the Vigilance team has now called for Babu Singh Kushwaha.
In fact, the vigilance team had initially summoned Babu Singh Kushwaha to record his statement along with Nasimuddin Siddiqui, but due to health reasons, Kushwaha did not record his statement. The Vigilance has now summoned him for August 3.
Questions during the interrogation...
The key questions during the interrogation of Nasimuddin Siddiqui focused on the construction of the memorial, meetings related to construction decisions, actions taken on contract allocations, and decisions regarding the transportation and carving of stones used in the memorial. Allegedly, millions were involved in transporting stones used in the memorials built in Lucknow and Noida. Payments were made by presenting truck numbers as scooter numbers. Instead of bringing stones from Rajasthan, stones were carved in Mirzapur itself. Given that Nasimuddin Siddiqui and Babu Singh Kushwaha were the most powerful ministers in the BSP government, they are crucial to the Vigilance inquiry.
Throughout the 5-hour-long interrogation, Nasimuddin Siddiqui provided evasive responses to all questions posed by the vigilance team. He claimed to not remember many of the details due to the passage of time and deflected questions about contract allocations and fund allocations by stating that these were cabinet decisions.
According to departmental sources, after questioning Nasimuddin Siddiqui and Babu Singh Kushwaha, the vigilance team is likely to question a senior officer soon. This officer is believed to be a key link in the scam. Over the past year, Vigilance has arrested and sent six individuals, including four officers, to jail. The Vigilance investigation into the memorial scam has intensified once again.
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