Etawah and Auraiya districts have been rocked by serious corruption allegations in the health department after Kanpur Vigilance team arrested Deputy Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr. Srinivas Yadav while allegedly accepting a bribe of ₹55,000. The arrest has triggered a wave of fresh complaints, with multiple individuals now accusing him of running a structured extortion network over several years.
One of the most serious allegations has been made by a private clinic operator, who claimed that the Deputy CMO had been demanding regular monthly payments ranging between ₹20,000 and ₹30,000 for allowing the clinic to operate without interference. The complainant, Resh Yadav, alleged that in addition to monthly demands, he was forced to pay ₹50,000 on multiple occasions to avoid administrative action or forced closure of his medical facility.
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According to the allegations, payments were collected on different dates including 2019, 2020, 2022, and 2025. The complainant further stated that when he refused to continue paying, he was threatened with the closure of his clinic under departmental action. He alleged that pressure was not always direct, but exerted through a coordinated system involving intermediaries.
The most critical claim in the case is that the alleged extortion was not carried out directly by the Deputy CMO alone. Instead, it was reportedly routed through a clerk posted in his office and an ASHA worker, who acted as intermediaries in collecting money from victims. It is alleged that these individuals gathered payments and channelled them upward within the administrative chain. In some instances, the complainant claimed that the Deputy CMO personally called him to his government residence and accepted money directly.
Victims further allege that repeated complaints were made to senior health authorities, but no meaningful action was taken at the time. This inaction, according to complainants, allowed the alleged system to continue unchecked for years, eventually turning into an organized pattern of extortion.
Meanwhile, the controversy has also revived attention on a separate ongoing corruption case involving health infrastructure irregularities. According to available information, a case involving 18 officials, including former Chief Medical Officers and Deputy CMOs, is already pending before the Uttar Pradesh Lokayukta. The complaint was filed in 2024 by Pramod Gupta.
The allegations in that case relate to irregularities in the establishment of Health and Wellness Centres, where rules and prescribed norms were allegedly ignored. It is claimed that several centres were set up in private homes and garages instead of approved locations, with departmental complicity.
It has also been alleged that fake rent payments ranging between ₹42,000 and ₹45,000 per month were being drawn against these centres, leading to large-scale misuse of government funds. The list of accused reportedly includes senior officials, clerical staff, and multiple departmental functionaries.
The complainant stated that copies of the complaint were sent to several high-level authorities, including the Prime Minister’s Office, Chief Minister’s Office, Directorate General of Health Services, Additional Director General (Health), and district administration officials. Preliminary inquiries reportedly found merit in the allegations, and statements were recorded, but final action had been delayed due to procedural issues.
Following the recent vigilance arrest, there is renewed expectation that both cases may now progress faster. Officials believe the ongoing probe could help uncover wider links and possibly expose a deeper network operating within the health department.
Authorities have indicated that further names may emerge as investigations continue, as the case appears to extend beyond a single officer and suggests the existence of a coordinated administrative nexus. The department remains on alert as scrutiny intensifies and more complaints are expected to surface in the coming days.
