Karnataka Covid-19 scam: Panel recommends recovery of Rs 187.91 crore from government entities
Bengaluru: The Justice John Michael D'Cunha Commission, appointed to investigate alleged irregularities in Karnataka's Covid-19 procurement, has recommended the recovery of Rs 187.91 crore from three government entities and the initiation of criminal proceedings against several officials for lapses. Notices were issued to the National Health Mission (NHM) mission director, the director and chief engineer of the Health and Family Welfare Department, and the Karnataka State Medical Supplies Corporation (KSMSCL) managing director for explanations regarding discrepancies, including 16 missing files and irregularities in civil works for 50 oxygen generation plants.
The report, based on four Covid-19 procurement investigation reports handed over to the Health Department, highlights a total expenditure of Rs 5,124 crore by the NHM, Health and Family Welfare Department, and KSMSCL during the pandemic, of which Rs 187.91 crore requires recovery. The commission recommended inquiries or criminal proceedings in 85 cases, citing violations of the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurements (KTPP) Act and other lapses.
Notices were also prepared for 456 suppliers due to contractual breaches, delays, quality concerns, and financial discrepancies. The department has proposed forming a team of seven officials, including a senior KAS officer, to handle action based on the commission’s findings, which includes setting up a separate office to frame charges, issue notices, record objections, and oversee the recovery process.
The report criticises the NHM mission director’s decision to outsource testing to private labs, calling it arbitrary, non-transparent, and designed to favour certain labs over fair competition. The NHM office retained Rs 3 crore from the Emergency Covid Response Package (ECRP) funds, with a portion allocated to private labs without the necessary technical capacity assessments. Payments totalling Rs 4.28 crore were reportedly made to labs for RT-PCR testing without administrative approval, in violation of the government’s temporary regulations prohibiting private labs from Covid-19 testing.
The commission's findings are now under review for further action by the Karnataka Health Department.
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Rahul Gandhi joins Haryana Congress leader's 'Sadbhav Yatra' in Gurugram
Gurugram (PTI): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday joined the 'Sadbhav Yatra' of Haryana Congress leader Brijendra Singh here.
Gandhi, who is the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, reached Gurugram in the evening and joined the yatra. He also walked some distance with Brijendra, state Congress chief Rao Narender Singh and other leaders.
Huge crowds had turned up for the occasion.
Later, Gandhi proceeded to the venue where he addressed a public gathering.
Leader of Opposition in Haryana Bhupinder Singh Hooda and other Congress leaders, including Randeep Singh Surjewala, B K Hariprasad, state Congress chief Rao Narender Singh, were also present.
Brijendra Singh had on Thursday said it is a matter of joy for them that Gandhi was joining the 'Sadbhav Yatra' in Gurugram-Badshahpur, "thereby strengthening the Indian National Congress' campaign for brotherhood and harmony".
The 'Sadbhav Yatra' began from Danoda village at Narwana in Jind on October 5, 2025, and has covered 85 of the 90 assembly segments in the state.
The foot march was started by Brijendra Singh, son of Congress veteran Birender Singh, to highlight several national and regional issues.
State Congress chief Rao Narender Singh had asked all party leaders to take part in Friday's event.
Days before his yatra began in October, Brijendra Singh, who narrowly lost the 2024 assembly polls from Jind's Uchana Kalan, accused the ruling BJP of playing "divisive politics" and said that "sadbhav" (harmony) has come under stress in the last decade.
Brijendra Singh was a sitting MP from Hisar for the BJP when he resigned ahead of the 2024 general election and switched over to the Congress. He also alleged that the saffron party creates a wedge in society to achieve its political purpose.
The 'padyatra' has so far covered 85 assembly constituencies in Haryana, traversing more than 2,700 kilometres.
Addressing the public gathering, Brijendra Singh said the yatra is inspired by Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra, where he took the party's vision and values directly to the people of the country.
Singh said the yatra has highlighted issues like "Vote Chori" (vote theft), unemployment, poor law and order situation, agrarian distress, and issues related to government employees, labourers and traders.
"Sadbhav (harmony) and bhaichara (brotherhood), which the BJP is attempting to weaken, are the messages of this yatra," he said, adding that its slogan is "Congress ka haath bhaichara ka saath".
"This yatra is a natural extension of the Bharat Jodo Yatra," Brijendra Singh said.
