K'taka cabinet to set up SIT to probe Covid-19 irregularities

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru

The Karnataka cabinet on Thursday decided to constitute a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the alleged irregularities in the COVID-19 management by the previous government, based on the interim report submitted by Justice John Michael D'Cunha Commission. Addressing reporters, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil said, “After examining the interim report submitted by Justice John Michael D'Cunha, the state cabinet has decided to form an SIT to conduct further investigation and take action.” The Minister said an Inspector General of Police rank officer will head the SIT.

The final report, once submitted, will also be forwarded to the SIT to investigate. According to him, the SIT will only probe the irregularities and not the recovery of money. “The recovery aspect will not be taken up by this SIT. The committee may give its recommendation as recovery is concerned. The recovery can be done by a separate agency of the Department of Revenue because it will be like a recovery of revenue dues,” Patil said. He added that the recovery aspect was not discussed in the cabinet meeting in detail.

He claimed that large scale corruption had taken place in the name of COVID-19 management. The state government had formed a commission headed by Justice D'Cunha to investigate the alleged irregularities in Covid-19 procurements in Karnataka. It submitted the interim report on September 1. It had recommended the prosecution of the then CM B S Yediyurappa and former Health Minister B Sriramalu for alleged corruption. Subsequently, a cabinet sub-committee headed by Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar was constituted to study the report and provide details to the cabinet, the Minister said. The sub-committee submitted its report to the cabinet on Thursday, Patil said adding that based on its recommendation the Cabinet decided to form the SIT.