The Uttar Pradesh government on Thursday formed a special investigation team (SIT)to investigate alleged anomalies in the purchase of equipment related to coronavirus (COVID-19). There were reports from some districts that certain items were bought at a cost higher than the market price.
The reports reportedly said certain gram panchayats in districts, including Sultanpur, Ghazipur, Bijnor and Barabanki, purchased pulse oximeters and infra-red thermometers at a cost higher than the market price.
Additional Chief Secretary, Revenue Department, Renuka Kumar, would head the SIT, which had been asked to submit a report in 10 days, said a government spokesperson.
In June, the government issued orders for the procurement of pulse oximeters, infra-red thermometers and sanitiser sets as part of the COVID-19 surveillance kits in every gram panchayat. The fund transfer was to be made from the State Finance Commission.
Deomani Dwivedi, BJP MLA from Sultanpur's Lambhua constituency, had raised the issue in a letter to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, and on September 8, accused the district magistrate of covering up the ‘anomalies’ by rejecting his allegations in public. “The allegation of corruption in procurement of COVID-19 kits is absolutely true”, he stated.
Om Prakash Rajbhar, president of Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party, quoted local news reports to allege that the COVID-19 kits in the said districts were purchased at five times the market rate. In some districts, the cost was allegedly three times of the market price.
Probe by judge demand
Mr. Rajbhar demanded that the “scam” be probed by a sitting judge of the Allahabad High Court.
“Turning a disaster into an opportunity, the BJP government is involved in a major scam”, said Mr. Rajbhar, a former Minister and an MLA from Ghazipur, one of the districts under the scanner.
Mr. Adityanath had always stressed about having a “zero tolerance policy” against corruption, the government spokesperson said. Mr. Adityanath had asked officials to take necessary action in case of irregularities regardless of the level where it occured, he added.
