Karnataka Bharatiya Janata Celebration (BJP) state president BY Vijayendra on Sunday accused the state authorities‘s try and implicate former chief minister BS Yediyurappa within the ongoing probe into the alleged irregularities within the Covid-19 procurement was a “politically motivated try” to make sure that the BJP chief didn’t marketing campaign, fearing a attainable electoral defeat.
Vijayendra identified the incongruity within the authorities’s actions whereas questioning the motivations behind the “partial” report. “They’ve claimed that through the pandemic, there have been irregularities in buying PPE kits. The report itself has points. In reality, I wish to ask the chief minister, why is he so annoyed. Are you annoyed as a result of you’re going to lose the (by)election? In any other case, what’s the have to convey out an incomplete report?” he stated.
“Following these allegations, the chief minister has known as for BS Yediyurappa to chorus from campaigning within the by-elections. This clearly signifies that the allegations are linked to the bypolls,” he added.
The controversy comes from a report submitted by the justice John Michael D’Cunha fee, which investigated the alleged irregularities in Covid-19 procurements in Karnataka. Siddaramaiah addressed the allegations in a press convention in Bellari on Sunday, stating that over ₹2,000 crore in corruption occurred below the Yediyurappa authorities within the buy of healthcare supplies. Siddaramaiah stated that after the ultimate report was obtained from the fee, the federal government would take applicable motion.
“Let the report of the fee come, then a choice will probably be taken within the cupboard,” Siddaramaiah stated, referring to the continuing investigation. He emphasised that the problems had been raised by him because the Chief of the Opposition within the state meeting and reiterated that the federal government would act based mostly on the findings of the fee.
The fee’s report really useful the prosecution of each Yediyurappa and former well being minister B Sriramulu, accusing them of corruption within the procurement course of. The report focuses on the acquisition of three lakh PPE kits in April 2020 from two Chinese language suppliers at an inflated worth of over ₹2,000 per unit.
The fee allegedly discovered that the procurement was performed by way of direct orders, bypassing the standard tendering course of, and that there was “no compelling motive” for this plan of action. The report alleged that the complete course of was manipulated to favour sure suppliers, which allegedly supplied an unfair benefit to them on account of their reference to Yediyurappa and Sriramulu.
“The procurement was made purely on the instructions of the CM and the well being minister, GoK, with out following the essential procurement guidelines and procedures,” the report said.
It additional alleged that Yediyurappa and Sriramulu abused their positions to profit the suppliers. The fee has really useful prosecuting each people below sections 7 and 11 of The Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, and for legal breach of belief. The report additionally requires disciplinary motion towards public officers concerned within the transaction.
Yediyurappa had stated there was no query of getting scared by “these threats”. The federal government was making an attempt to create confusion by digging into the previous and this won’t serve any objective, he added.
House minister G Parameshwara responded to the report, highlighting its findings, which embrace a lack of ₹14-18 crore to taxpayers on PPE buy. “The report talks about lack of ₹4-18 crore to the taxpayer. So the federal government has to take motion and the cupboard will resolve on the additional motion,” he stated, stressing the necessity for accountability within the face of the alleged mismanagement of funds.
Well being minister Dinesh Gundu Rao additionally weighed in on the findings, emphasising that the fee had clearly indicted Yediyurappa and Sriramulu.
“There are lots of different points of the report which I don’t wish to discuss. I can say no matter is there within the report is true. It clearly exhibits that through the disaster of CovidD, the BJP authorities was utilizing it to loot the state, and the allegations we have been speaking about then have come true,” Rao asserted.
He dismissed the BJP’s claims of political vendetta, mentioning that the fee had taken over a yr and a half to finish its investigation and produce the report.
“This isn’t an in a single day choice. It has nothing to do with us. It’s a critical allegation with clear evidences given of the way it was accomplished. He can combat it out legally,” Rao added, rejecting any accusations of political interference within the report’s findings.
The state authorities had determined to arrange a particular investigation staff (SIT) and a cupboard sub-committee to take additional motion on the D’ Cunha fee report.
Within the “partial” report submitted on August 31 in 11 volumes, the Fee examined the expenditure to the tune of ₹7,223.64 crore.
With PTI inputs
