Dead medical officer's kin demand CBI probe, opposition cries foul

Sachan was the prime accused in chief medical officer (CMO) family welfare B.P Singh's murder.

"CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) inquiry must be initiated at the earliest. The state government's investigating agencies must not be allowed to pursue the case as we have no faith in them," Sachan's brother R.K. Sachan told reporters here.

"My brother was made a scapegoat in order to protect some white-collared people. He can't commit suicide," he said.

"The reported injuries on his body raise several questions. There could be the possibility that my brother died of police excesses. The case must be immediately handed over to the CBI," he added.

Y.S. Sachan was found dead in mysterious circumstances inside the Lucknow district jail toilet late Wednesday evening, following which the state government ordered a judicial inquiry into the incident.

The jail officials said Y.S. Sachan, also named in the murder of Singh's predecessor Vinod Arya, committed suicide by hanging himself from the toilet window grill. Blood  was also detcted on toilet the floor.

Sachan was facing charges of not only masterminding Singh's murder but for also giving money for what was officially termed as "contract killing".

Sachan's death is the third in succession over alleged fraud in National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) funds in Uttar Pradesh.

Singh was gunned down while on his routine morning walk just outside his residence in Lucknow's posh Gomati Nagar locality April 2. His predecessor Vinod Arya was also shot by masked motor-cyclists, just as he stepped out of his home for his morning walk in October 2010.

Award of huge contracts for supply of goods and equipment under the centrally-funded NRHM and large-scale financial bungling were officially stated to be the cause behind both the murders.

However, key opposition leaders were not ready to buy the government's theory that sachan committed "suicide" inside the jail toilet.

"This is cold-blooded murder," Samajwadi Party state president Akhilesh Yadav, said. "And none other than top people in the Mayawati government are responsible for the murder in jail," he added and demanded a CBI probe into Sachan's death.

State Congress president Rita Bahuguna Joshi also clearly saw the hand of "people in the government" in the crime. She said: "The truth can only be unravelled if the case is handed over to the CBI."

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Kalraj Misra sought a high-level judicial probe into the case.