Include cyber experts in Bengaluru bed scam probe team: Karnataka HC

The High Court on Wednesday directed the state government to ensure that the investigating team, probing the hospital bed scam, also include cyber experts.

A division bench headed by Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka was hearing the matters relating to issues surrounding Covid-19 pandemic.

The bench perused the status report of the investigation and directed the Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) to file the next status report.

“Looking into the sensitive nature of the allegations it is necessary that the investigation is regularly monitored by an experienced senior IPS officer. Secondly, it is necessary for the state government to consider whether an investigating team consisting of officers having expertise in different fields such as cyber crime are part of the team,” the bench said.

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Additional Advocate General informed the court that Joint Commissioner (Crime) Sandeep Patil is supervising the investigation and a team has already been constituted. Two crimes registered in connection with the scam, one in HSR Layout police station and another in Jayanagar police station, are being probed by the Central Crime Branch (CCB), he submitted.

Meanwhile, the court declined to entertain a PIL filed by a Youth Congress leader. The petitioner wanted to take the cause of certain employees working in BBMP war rooms who have been suspended. A division bench comprising Chief Justice and Justice Suraj Govindaraj was hearing the petition filed by one Y B Srivatsa, a youth Congress leader.

The bench observed that one of the prayers is to take up the cause of certain employees who have been suspended. “The persons who have been suspended can always approach the court. The petitioner is not a pro bono petitioner. Only on that ground, we dispose of this petition,” the bench said.