LACCFED Scam: Badshah Singh arrested

Former labour minister Badshah Singh was arrested on Wednesday in connection with the alleged involvement in the multi-crore scam in the  Labour and Construction Co-operative Federation (LACCFED).

Badshah Singh was labour minister in the earstwhile Mayawati government in the state. He was accused of accepting bribes from contractors for building labour shelters, however, the scheme existed only on papers.

The special investigation bureau (SIB) of the co-operative cell of the UP Police arrested the former minister in the state capital.

The SIB had earlier summoned Badshah Singh for interrogation.  He was arrested after extensive questioning by the SIB. S P Singh, Inspector SIB said, “We have proof that bribes were paid to him and have traced the trail of the money.”

Sources in the SIB claimed that Singh is just a tip of the iceberg and ten more ministers from the earstwhile government are under scanner for their alleged involvement in the scam.

Singh is believed to have accepted bribes to the tune of Rs Five crores for building shelters for labourers in urban areas. However, the scheme was later brushed aside by the administeration. When the contractors claimed the bribe money, Singh ignored their pleas and even threatened them of dire consequences.

In his defence Singh offered, “No work was done under the scheme. There was a committee of secretaries entrusted with the task of overseeing construction. I had no role in the scheme.”

On several occasions in the past, the SIB had summoned Singh but he continued to evade the probe. According to sources, he furnished evasive answers on majority of the queries put forth by the agency.

Later, Singh was expelled from the BSP after his name figured in a land grab case. He then joined the BJP and even contested as party's candidate in the previous assembly elections earlier this year.