The matter pertaining to the irregularities in the purchase of beds, blankets and pillows for schools coming under the Social Welfare department was placed before Chief Minister Siddaramaiah by Chief Secretary Kaushik Mukherjee, on Monday.
Speaking to Deccan Herald, Mukherjee said that he had forwarded the file to chief minister’s office for his perusal.
When asked whether he had recommended a Lokyukta inquiry into the matter, Mukherjee said that he had not given any such suggestion.
“It is true that we have to get to the bottom of the matter. Hence the file has been sent to the chief minister,” he added.
The department had conducted an internal inquiry into the purchases made, and had recommended that a CID or Lokayukta inquiry be ordered against one IAS officer (Manjunatha Prasad, Secretary, Social Welfare) and two KAS officers. It was found that the department has suffered losses to the tune of Rs 19 crore in purchase of beds for 22,000 schools and pillows for 19,000 schools.
Published 01 June 2015, 19:08 IST