Fri Dec 13 20:22:51 UTC 2024: ## Karnataka Police File First FIR in COVID-19 Scam Investigation

**Bengaluru, December 14, 2024** – The first official complaint in the ongoing investigation into alleged irregularities in Karnataka’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic has been filed. The Vidhana Soudha Police Station registered the FIR on Friday, based on a complaint by M. Vishnu Prasad, the current Chief Financial Officer of the Directorate of Medical Education.

The complaint accuses former Director of Medical Education P.G. Girish, along with officers Ragu G.P. and N. Muniraju, of colluding with other government officials and representatives to violate the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurement Act of 1999. The alleged procurement of N95 masks and PPE kits resulted in an estimated loss of ₹167 crore to the state’s treasury. While the FIR names several officials, it notably does not specifically name any politicians at this stage.

This development follows the state cabinet’s November decision to form a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the allegations, based on a report by Justice John Michael D’Cunha. The first part of the D’Cunha report, submitted in August, recommended prosecution of several government officials, as well as former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa and former Health Minister B. Sriramulu.

The FIR serves as a procedural step to allow for the transfer of the case to the SIT, which is expected to be formally constituted by Monday. The investigation is expected to delve deeper into the alleged scam and potentially lead to further charges.

Read More