Lucknow/Kanpur, June 2 (ANI): The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) today carried out searches at the residential premises of former Uttar Pradesh Health Minister Anant Mishra in Lucknow and Kanpur in connection with the National Rural Health Mission (NHRM) scam.

The action came after an FIR was filed by the CBI nearly two days ago in connection with the appointment of nearly 100 Chief Medical Officers (CMOs).

The Uttar Pradesh health department had access to Rs. 3,500 crores a year to provide better medical services for villages under the NRHM scheme, which is being implemented by 72 CMOs and nodal officers from other state government departments.

It is alleged that much of the money for the scheme was squandered by bureaucrats and other officers who handed inflated contracts to suppliers of medicines and equipments.

The CBI is also separately investigating three high-profile murders that took place allegedly in connection to the scam.

Former Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr Vinod Arya was killed in October 27, 2010. Six months later, the man who replaced him, Dr BP Singh, was also murdered.

In June 2011, a man who had worked for them and had been arrested for their deaths, Y.S Sachan, was found dead in mysterious circumstances inside Lucknow jail. (ANI)