Inquiry says Sachan murdered, UP govt offers SIT probe

Lucknow, Jul 12 (PTI) A judicial probe into the
mysterious death of Deputy Chief Medical Officer Y S Sachan in
jail here has found it to be prima facie a case of murder, in
a rebuff to the Uttar Pradesh government which had claimed it
to be a suicide.
Opposing a PIL seeking a CBI (Central Bureau of
Investigation, country's premiere investigating agency) probe
into the case, the Mayawati government, which had come under
attack after the death of Sachan, said it was ready for a
probe by a Special Investigation team after the report by
Chief Judicial Magistrate Rajesh Upadhyaya was opened before
the Lucknow bench of Allahabad High Court.
Appearing for the state government, Additional
Advocate General Jaideep Mathur said the government was of the
view that as the CBI functions under the Centre, in such a
situation it can not be termed as an independent agency.
He said the state government is in favour of an
inquiry by an independent agency like Special Investigation
Team (SIT). He requested the court that if it deems fit, it
should order an SIT probe.
The AAG said the government has suspended all
investigations in Sachan's death till an order is issued by
the court in the case.
The bench comprising justices Pradeep Kant and Ritu
Raj Awasthi reserved its order for July 14, court sources
said.
Arrested on charges of financial irregularities,
Sachan, 52, was found dead inside the toilet of Lucknow
district jail hospital on the night of June 22. He was also
named as the key conspirator in the murder case of CMO B P
Singh in April following the arrest of three shooters hired to
kill him.
After Sachan's death, the government and police had
initially claimed that he committed suicide. The post mortem,
however, revealed nine injury marks on the body including the
neck, elbows, wrists and thigh.
While Sachan's family cried foul and demanded a CBI
inquiry, the state government ordered a judicial probe into
the incident.
The CJM submitted the report with the acting district
judge, district magistrate Lucknow and prison officials
yesterday.
Meanwhile, former Chief Medical Officer of Lucknow A K
Shukla, who along with Sachan was named in connection with the
financial irregularities in the state health department, was
on Tuesday arrested from a hospital here.
Special Additional CJM Inthikab Alam, who remanded
Shukla to judicial custody till July 26, directed that he be
kept under camera surveillance in jail after Shukla claimed
that there was a threat to his life.
"Doctor Shukla was arrested from the trauma centre of
Chattrapati Shahuji Maharaj Nagar Medical University this
morning," Deputy Inspector General of Police Lucknow D K
Thakur said, adding that he has been charged in connection
with financial irregularities in National Rural Health
Mission.
Shukla was admitted to the trauma centre last night
for health problems including diabetes, sources said.
Citing health complications, Shukla sought permission
for treatment outside the jail, but the court said facilities
would be provided by the jailor as per the jail manual.
It was alleged that the CMO misused his powers and
helped his associates in withdrawing government funds by
producing fake bills.
The financial irregularities were detected during
investigation into the murder of CMO B P Singh, who was shot
dead in Gomti Nagar area on April 2.