Karnataka Covid ‘scam’: Cabinet accepts Cunha panel's second report

Bengaluru: The Cabinet accepted the second report of the Justice John Michael D’Cunha Commission on Covid-19 irregularities on Thursday.

“We have accepted the report and [discussed] further action to be taken,” Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar said.

According to sources, the Commission’s recommendations will be examined by a set of officers as was done with the first report that was submitted to the government last year.

In its second report submitted to the government earlier this month, the Commission has recommended filing 176 cases and recovery of Rs 128 crore out of a total Rs 275 crore that was spent to fight Covid-19 in Bengaluru, Bengaluru Rural, Gadag and Koppal.

“Further investigation in some serious cases may be entrusted to the Lokayukta or other investigative agencies and steps are to be taken to recover the loss caused to the government by filing criminal cases against those involved in serious cases [sic],” the Commission stated. The Commission also recommended departmental inquiry against officers/employees involved in the irregularities.