Covid scam: Complaint with Guv against Minister Joshi for comment on Justice D'Cunha

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru

Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao and Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda on Monday sought an apology from Union Minister Pralhad Joshi for his alleged statement calling Justice Michael D'Cunha as "an agent". Rao and Gowda submitted a complaint to the Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot demanding a legal action against Joshi for his alleged statement. Union Minister's alleged statement came at a time, when the commission of enquiry led by Justice D'Cunha, probing the COVID scam charges against the erstwhile BJP government in the state, recommended in its preliminary report to prosecute former Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa and former health minister B Sriramulu. The commission is probing the alleged irregularities in purchasing of medicines and equipment during the COVID19 pandemic, when BJP was in power.

Explaining about his demand to probe Prahalad Joshi, Minister Gundu Rao told reporters that Justice Michael D'Cunha, a retired judge of high court, acted with integrity and Joshi being in a responsible position made an irresponsible statement for which he should apologise. " Pralhad Joshi's recent statements were full of arrogance. What does it mean to call a retired judge as a Congress agent? Let Joshi speak about us politicians or fight a legal battle but attacking a judge is not right," he said.

The Minister alleged that Joshi was trying to put pressure on D'Cunha before the commission submits its final report. Calling D'Cunha 'a Congress agent' is part of the 'pressure tactic', he said. The government on October 11 decided to constitute a SIT and a Cabinet subcommittee to take further action on the D' Cunha commission report. In the 'partial' report, the Commission examined the expenditure to the tune of Rs 7,223.64 crore.