Bengaluru: The Karnataka government acting on a report of an inquiry commission which indicted the erstwhile BJP Government has decided to form a special investigation team (SIT) and a cabinet sub-committee to act further. The commission has investigated alleged irregularities in the purchase of equipment and medicines during Covid-19, when the BJP was in power. The decision was taken at a cabinet meeting chaired by chief minister Siddaramaiah.
The Justice Michael D’Cunha commission submitted a preliminary report to the Congress-led government last month had made “serious observations” and highlighted alleged misappropriation of funds to the tune of “crores of rupees” by the former BJP regime, under the leadership of then chief minister B S Yediyurappa. Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, law and parliamentary affairs minister H K Patil said: “The report so far has identified irregularities, and the recovery process will begin immediately. It has been decided to constitute an SIT and a cabinet sub-committee for review and monitoring… SIT will look into criminal elements, and wherever wrongdoing is found, appropriate legal action will be taken.” He added: “The cabinet sub-committee, on the other hand, will be assisted by relevant officers to go into details of other malpractices. It has also been decided to immediately begin the recovery proceedings and to black list those companies or establishments involved in the wrongdoing.”