NRHM scam: Police begin probe into death of Mahendra Sharma

Three days after an employee of state health department was found murdered in his home, police on Saturday started investigation into the death.

Police found the body of Sharma lying in a pool of blood with severe injuries on his head and face, from the Pasgawan health centre area in Lakhimpur Kheri district on February 15.

52-year-old Sharma, an accountant at community health centre, went missing on February 7.

In-charge of Kotwali police station has been assigned to investigate the murder.

Sharma's wife Mithilesh Sharma had lodged an FIR yesterday in which she has raised suspicion on six health department officials, including chief medical officer JP Bhargava, deputy CMO Balbir Singh, Pasgawan CHC in-charge SC Gupta, UP health ministerial employees association president Kuldeep Mishra, its secretary Munna Lal and Pasgawan CHC clerk Rajesh Hans.

In her FIR, Mithilesh alleged that her husband was killed as he refused to cooperate in misdeeds of some health officials.

Sharma kin have demanded a CBI probe into his mysterious killing.

The autopsy report had revealed death due to ante-mortem smothering with half a dozen injury marks over the body.

Sharma became the fifth victim in the last one year after the alleged bungling of over Rs10,000 crore of central funds surfaced.