LUCKNOW, May 26 -- UP Police Economic Offences Wing (EOW), Varanasi unit has arrested a former block pramukh of Ballia district Munna Singh alias Sugriv Singh on Saturday in connection with the high-profile Ballia food grain scam held around 20 years back, confirmed senior officials of UP Police headquarters in Lucknow on Sunday.

They said the arrest was made as part of the Uttar Pradesh government's efforts to take strict action against those involved in the scam. The scam pertains to the implementation of the Swarn Jayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY) and other rural development programmes in the Ballia district between 2002 and 2005.

Under this scheme, various development projects were undertaken, including earthwork, drainage constr...