The National Rural Health Scheme scam in Uttar Pradesh has turned murkier with another health official being found murdered at his home — the fifth victim in the past one year after the alleged bungling of over Rs.10,000 crore of Central funds surfaced. The U.P. Police found the body of Mahendra Sharma, an accountant, with severe injuries on his head and face, from the Pasgawan health centre area in Lakhimpur Kheri district late on Wednesday evening. Mahendra Sharma had been reported missing since February 7, the police said. The CBI, which is probing the scam, has asked the State Police to beef up security of witnesses and suspects. In 2010-11, two senior doctors of the State Health Department were murdered within months of each other. Another official was found dead in a Lucknow jail. In January, a U.P. Jal Nigam officer allegedly committed suicide because he was being investigated in connection with the scam. As the news of another murder spread on Thursday, the Congress and the BJP slammed the Mayawati Government, accusing it of actively colluding in the “massive bungling”. While Congress campaigner Priyanka Gandhi accused the Mayawati Government of misusing funds meant for improvement of health facilities in the State, BJP spokesperson Ravishankar Prasad said: “The larger issue is the liability of Ms. Mayawati herself as the Chief Minister and the earlier regime of Mulayam Singh Yadav because the entire scam was spread over the last 7-8 years”. Mahendra Sharma's family has accused Health Department officials of harassment. His wife, Mithilesh Sharma, said that frequent transfers of her husband had depressed him. She also accused the health officials of withholding his salary. Meanwhile, the CBI denied having questioned Sharma in connection with the probe. — PTI Fifth victim in last one year since the Rs.10,000 crore scam surfaced Family alleges harassment by State Health Department officials