Representative image for fraud.
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Bengaluru: The Karnataka government on Saturday constituted an inquiry committee headed by retired IAS officer SD Meena to probe irregularities in the state-owned Karnataka State Electronics Development Corporation Ltd (Keonics), the state’s IT services provider, between 2018-19 and 2022-23.
The BJP was in power between 2019 and 2022.
The order was issued a day after Hoskote Congress MLA Sharath Bachegowda took charge as the Keonics chairperson.
Meena has been asked to rope in financial and technical experts for assistance with the probe.
The inquiry will be based on 45 audit objections raised by the Comptroller & Auditor General between 2018-19 and 2022-23. Apparently, there were "procedural deviations, lapses and violations of financial propriety".
"From the major findings of the Principal Accountant General audit team, it is evident that there has been lacunae and gaps like the technical specifications in the products haven't been clearly brought out; the third-party inspection do not have due certifications of the persons who have inspected the goods; the delivery challans do not have the seal/date or seal of recipient organization; the process of empanelment and selection of vendors for the supply of goods to various departments and organizations are not in conformity with the standard tender document prescribed by the Finance Department (sic)," an order issued by the Department of IT/BT said.
Earlier, IT/BT Minister Priyank Kharge had said that Keonics saw a scam to the tune of Rs 500 crore when the BJP was in power. Quoting from the CAG report, Priyank had said that items were procured at inflated rates ranging from 38per cent to 1,577 per cent.
Apart from looking into irregularities flagged during audits, the inquiry committee has been urged to suggest "measures on strengthening the administrative and financial control in the organization".
Late last year, the government revoked the tender exemption that was given to Keonics after authorities found that the benefit was misused through companies that were “fraudulently” shown as empanelled with the agency.