The State government on Wednesday set up a three-member committee headed by Arundathi Chandrashekar, Commissioner of Treasuries, to probe allegations of large-scale irregularities in the State-run Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology.
Apart from Dr. Chandrashekar, the committee includes Guruswamy, Managing Director of Karnataka State Textiles Cooperative Society and Mahadev, BBMP Additional Commissioner (Finance). The committee has been asked to submit its report within 15 days.
Last week, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had ordered that a comprehensive probe will be taken up by a team of senior officials, including IAS officers from the departments of Cooperation and Finance.
Sources said the Chief Minister’s Office had received several complaints regarding the lack of transparency in the procurement of medicines and medical equipment by the Kidwai director. The Hindu had reported the allegations against Kidwai director V. Lokesh for issuing a pre-dated work order for the development, operation, maintenance, and management of the Positron Emission Tomography and Computed Tomography (PET -CT) equipment under a public-private partnership (PPP).
According to sources, the CM was also informed of the absence of a mandatory MBBS doctor, certified in Advanced Cardiac Life Support, with three years of experience as per the tender conditions, for the PET-CT scan unit. Also, the unit does not even have registered nurses with six months of experience as per the tender conditions. The cash bills are handled directly by the vendor, which is against the law.
A senior doctor who recently submitted a memorandum to the CM regarding the irregularities said the institute administration has been paving the way for GST evasion.
