KOCHI: Corruption in the functioning of Covid First Line Treatment Centres (CFLTC) has come to the fore as the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) registered a case against three persons for diverting funds granted for the expenses of one such treatment centre in Vengola near Perumbavoor in Ernakulam. Vigilance Ernakulam Range team has registered a case against former Vengola panchayat senior clerk Shyjil Kumar, Health Inspector Jomon Jacob and a person named Mahinkutty.
According to Vigilance officials, Vengola panchayat operated a CFLTC where patients were lodged after they turned positive during the test. As per the FIR of the case, the first accused was holding the post of CFLTC Nodal Officer.
“As the authority to prepare bills for food supplied to Covid patients admitted at the CFLTC during the period of October 12, 2020, to October 31, 2021, he fraudulently prepared false and forged bills and made false entries in the official registers. This was done in collusion with the second accused, the health inspector of Vengola Community Health Centre who was holding the post of the coordinator responsible for the food supply at the CFLTC,” stated in the FIR.
According to Vigilance officials, the duo conspired with Mahinkutty, and embezzled an amount of Rs 7.50 lakh intended for the food supplies to COVID-19 patients at the CFLTC. The cheques for diverting the funds were issued in the name of Mahinkutty.
“Bills of food products that were not procured and given to Covid-19 patients were included in the register. Mahinkutty had issued these bills so that the amount could be diverted through this account. The case was only registered last week and a detailed probe has to be conducted to check whether more money was diverted. Also, the accused persons have to be questioned in this regard,” said an officer.
The VACB had conducted a preliminary investigation following a complaint given by Kandanthara native Salim Rahmanth.
NO CASES YET DUE TO LACK OF COMPLAINTS
Even though there have been allegations in the operations of CFLTC before, no cases were registered due to a lack of complaints received by the Vigilance. Kerala Lokayukta conducted a probe into Kerala Medical Services Corporation’s (KMSC) alleged corruption in the procurement of PPE kits during the Covid period.