The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday conducted simultaneous raids at 21 places in connection with multi-crore-rupee swindling of funds in the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) during 2007-2010, an official said.
The raids were conducted at Lucknow, Allahabad and several places in Kanpur at the residences and official premises of the suspects. Raids were also reportedly underway in Dehradun (Uttarakhand) and Amritsar (Punjab).
In one instance, over Rs 80 lakh was allegedly misappropriated in the purchase of sterilisation kits in Rae Bareli by some health officials and drug suppliers.
The suspects include retired CMOs, additional CMOs and some other health officials, according to the official.
The CBI raids in Lucknow were led by Senior Inspector of CBI Zaheer Akhtar, while different teams of India's premier investigative agency carried out the raids at other locations.