K'taka: Tenure of panel probing Covid procurement irregularities extended till July 31

Bengaluru, April 9 (IANS) The Karnataka government has extended the term of the retired judge John Michael D'Cunha-led Inquiry Commission to investigate the alleged irregularities and scams during the Covid-19 procurement period till July 31.

The Commission has sought an extension as its term ended on March 31. Nagaraju. S, the Under Secretary to the government of Karnataka, issued the order on Wednesday in this regard.

The order mentions that the term of the commission has been extended in connection with investigating the incident of deaths due to non-availability of oxygen at the Chamarajanagar District Hospital.

Twenty-four Covid-19 patients, who were being treated at Chamarajanagar district hospital, allegedly died due to lack of oxygen on May 2 and 3, 2021.

The investigation revealed that the alleged shortage of oxygen occurred due to the failure of the district administration in general and the hospital authorities in particular.

The retired judge John Michael D’Cunha had submitted the second interim report on the Covid scam to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on April 5. The report comprises a total of 1,808 pages.

This is the second of a total of seven interim volumes, out of which four volumes pertain to the irregularities and scams that took place within the jurisdiction of the BBMP (Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike).

Separate volumes detail the irregularities related to BBMP's Bommanahalli Zone, South Zone, West Zone, and Yelahanka Zone.

The remaining three volumes cover irregularities in Bengaluru Urban District, Bengaluru Rural District, and the districts of Gadag and Koppal.

The interim report was officially handed over to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Chief Secretary to the government, Shalini Rajneesh, was also present on the occasion.

The Congress-led government in Karnataka, headed by Siddaramaiah, had also handed over the Covid 'scam' investigation to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on February 14, two months after lodging an FIR.

The team headed by CID SP Raghavendra Hegde and three Deputy SPs are investigating the "scam" which allegedly occurred during the tenure of the previous BJP government.

The FIR was lodged regarding the Covid scam in Vidhana Soudha police station on December 13, 2024, against senior officials and staff.

The Congress government hinted at action against former CM B.S. Yediyurappa, former Health Minister B. Sriramulu and BJP MP K. Sudhakar.

The government had also formed a special cabinet sub-committee headed by Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar to look into the report by the Commission headed by the High Court Justice John Michael D'Cunha formed by the Congress government and give recommendations.

Shivakumar had announced that "officials are conducting an investigation based on the recommendations of Justice Michael Cunha's committee on Covid management-related irregularities. Those who embezzled Covid funds will not be spared".

--IANS

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