Siddaramaiah govt accuses BJP of misappropriating COVID funds, ex-Health Minister K Sudhakar denies wrongdoing -- Details here

A new scam involving alleged misappropriation of Covid-19 funds during the BJP's rule in Karnataka has taken over headlines, eclipsing the ongoing Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) scam. The alleged misappropriation, which occurred under the leadership of then-Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa, has raised accusations of political retaliation.

A preliminary report, discussed in the Karnataka cabinet, points to serious irregularities involving hundreds of crores of rupees, with an estimated Rs 1,000 crore siphoned off from the overall Rs 13,000 crore spent during the pandemic.

The report, prepared by Justice John Michael D'Cunha, mentions missing files that were not provided despite repeated requests. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has taken this report seriously and extended the commission's tenure by six months to complete the investigation, with the final report expected during the winter session of Parliament.

The interim report, spanning over 1,000 pages, is now being analyzed by government officials.

Meanwhile, allegations of political tit-for-tat have surfaced, especially as Siddaramaiah is himself under scrutiny for the MUDA scam, related to irregularities in land allocation, including accusations involving compensatory land given to his wife, BM Parvathi.

Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister HK Patil rejected claims of a "scam versus scam" situation, asserting that the MUDA inquiry is recent, while the D'Cunha committee was established over a year ago.

The Covid-19 mismanagement report could be politically advantageous for the Congress, which has been on the defensive regarding the MUDA scam. The BJP, on the other hand, has dismissed the Covid fund misappropriation allegations as politically motivated.

Former health minister K. Sudhakar, accused in the case, has denied any wrongdoing, claiming that decisions regarding procurement during the pandemic were made in consultation with the Covid-19 Technical Advisory Committee and that he is ready to face any inquiry.

The interim report has called for criminal action against those responsible for the misappropriation. The investigation is still ongoing, and further reports are expected to detail the full extent of the alleged misuse of public funds.