The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday conducted searches in connection with the ‘Smarak’ (memorial) scam during the tenure of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati as the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh between 2007 and 2011.
“The searches have been carried out at seven places on the premises of the accused persons, including in Lucknow,” said an ED official.
The Directorate is conducting the money laundering probe on the basis of a First Information Report (FIR) registered by the Uttar Pradesh State Vigilance Department in 2014, alleging a loss of more than ₹111 crore to the government exchequer, and unlawful gain by the accused public servants and private individuals.
It is alleged there were financial irregularities in the procurement of material for the construction of memorials in Noida and Lucknow between 2007 and 2012, which resulted in the losses.
The Uttar Pradesh Lokayukta had earlier prepared a report, which identified several irregularities in the execution of the project. More than 100 officials of the Uttar Pradesh Rajkiya Nirman Nigam, PWD and the New Okhla Industrial Development Authority were under the scanner.
