BENGALURU: The State Government has constituted an inquiry commission headed by retired Judge of Karnataka High Court Justice John Michael D’Cunha to look into the allegations made by the Public Accounts Committee of the Assembly in 2021 about the purchase of medicine and equipment for fighting the Covid-19 pandemic during the previous BJP government.
A notification issued by the State Government stated that the inquiry commission constituted under the Commission of Inquiry Act 1952 will probe allegations about the purchase of medicine, equipment, and other materials by Health and Medical Education Departments and agencies working under those departments. It will also probe allegations related to oxygen management, and deaths due to shortage of oxygen, among other issues.
The allegations were made in the Public Accounts Committee reports in July-August 2021. The committee was headed by HK Patil of Congress. He is now the Law Minister in the Siddaramaiah government. The committee had also accused the government of underreporting the Covid deaths.
The notification also stated that the government expects the commission to complete the probe within three months. It will have the power to conduct the probe under the Commission of Inquiry Act 1952 and Code of Civil Procedure.
The government has directed the departments concerned to provide all necessary documents and assistance required for conducting the probe by the commission. The commission, if required can appoint an independent agency for quality tests. It will be headquartered in Bengaluru. The Commissioner of Health and Family Welfare Department has been directed to provide all required assistance.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had earlier stated that the government would get all major scams including alleged irregularities in the purchase of equipment during the pandemic probed.
Meanwhile, the government also issued a new notification about the probe into contractors’ allegations of demand for 40 % commission to release funds during the previous BJP government. The government withdrew its earlier notification appointing the inquiry committee. The new notification stated that the inquiry commission constituted under the Commission of Inquiry Act 1952 will be headed by retired High Court judge Justice HN Nagamohan Das.