CM Siddaramaiah cabinet decides to hand over probe into alleged Covid irregularities to SIT

BENGALURU: The Chief Minister Siddaramaiah-led Cabinet on Thursday decided to hand over the probe into alleged irregularities in medical purchases during the Covid-19 pandemic to a special investigation team (SIT). It was also decided that a cabinet sub-committee will look into the issue.

The cabinet discussed purchase of medical equipment and testing kits at a cost of Rs 160.25 crore without any approval during the tenure of the previous BJP government. The meeting also noted that works on installing oxygen plants were taken up in district and taluk hospitals at a cost of Rs 84.71 crore, but not completed.

Though funds were released from PM Cares for installation of oxygen plants, Rs 12 crore was released by the state government. About 17.28 lakh doses of Covid vaccine have been missing from government hospitals and health centres and Rs 15,000 each was spent on buying about 1,000 infra-red thermometers, the cabinet meeting discussed.

It also noted that 15.89 lakh RT-PCR kits which has passed the expiry date had been purchased at a cost of Rs 3.11 crore. The Kidwai hospital, due to increased work load, had sent samples to private labs and its own report mentions Rs 264.35 crore illegalities, the cabinet noted.

On August 25, 2023, a judicial committee under retired judge Michael D’Cunha was formed to investigate the Covid-19 irregularities. The committee submitted an interim report on August 31, 2024 in 11 volumes after going through 55,000 files.