SIT to probe ‘irregularities’ in COVID-19 management; DKS-led Cabinet panel to monitor the inquiry

Decision comes after the submission of an interim report by the John D’Cunha commission on the ‘lapses’ during the BJP regime in the State

The State Cabinet on Thursday decided to order a probe by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) into the alleged ₹7,223.64 crore irregularities in COVID-19 management by the erstwhile BJP government that were revealed by the John Michael D’Cunha Inquiry Commission in its interim report.

Briefing presspersons, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H. K. Patil said a Cabinet sub-committee would be formed to monitor the SIT probe and decide the measures to be initiated based on the inquiry. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah was authorised to choose members of the sub-committee.

Later in the day, the government issued a notification naming Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar as head of the sub-committee that comprises Ministers G. Parameshwara, Mr. H.K. Patil, Dinesh Gundu Rao, Priyank Kharge, Santosh S. Lad, and Sharan Prakash Patil.

The decision to form a SIT comes at a time when the Opposition is mounting pressure on Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to quit in the wake of a probe being ordered into the alleged irregularities in allotment of sites to his wife by the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA).

What D’Cunha report said

As per the recommendations of the D’Cunha commission, submitted earlier to the government, the Cabinet had also decided to initiate the process of recovering ₹500 crore from companies that were involved in purchase of medical equipment, he said.

The D’Cunha commission was constituted to look into irregularities after the Public Accounts Committee of the state legislature submitted a report on the alleged misuse of public funds and abuse of power during the management of COVID-19.

However, the commission is yet to submit a report on the four zones in the BBMP jurisdiction and all the districts. The commission had submitted its interim report based on 55,000 files from various departments that were examined, the Minister explained.

The interim report had cited irregularities to the tune of “crores of rupees”, besides flagging the missing files on the issue.

‘Vendetta politics’

Meanwhile, the BJP described the Cabinet’s decision as “politics of vendetta.”

Party MLC N. Ravi Kumar ridiculed the Congress government, saying that it had thought about COVID-19 irregularities only after the BJP raised the “scam” in MUDA.

JD (S) leader and Union Minister H. D. Kumaraswamy also alleged that the Congress government was trying to divert public attention from the irregularities in Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation and in MUDA, by ordering the probe.

Published - October 10, 2024 08:33 pm IST