A day after the bed-blocking scam came to the fore, the Lokayukta on Wednesday registered suo motu case into the allotment of beds to the patients by each health care unit and other irregularities.
Taking congnisance of the news reports on the allegations made by MP Tejasvi Surya and three MLAs regarding the diversion of 4,065 hospital beds for bribe, Justice P Vishwanatha Shetty cited the Supreme Court observation that once a person loses his or her life, status quo ante cannot be restored.
The Lokayukta issued notice to 31 officials, from chief secretary of the state to heads of Health and Family Welfare Department and the BBMP to the zonal health officers.
The order sought report in three weeks on zonewise data of number of beds taken over by the BBMP in private and government hospitals and the details of allocation, including the name, address and the phone numbers.
Noting that it was the obligatory function of the BBMP to prevent and check the spread of dangerous diseases under Section 58 (22) of Karnataka Municipal Corporations Act, 1976, the Lokayukta said the concerned authorities entrusted with the responsibility have "failed to discharge their obligations".
"Dereliction of duty and maladministration on the part of the section of the public servants cannot be condoned," the order said, adding that action needs to be taken under the Disaster Management Act, Prevention of Corruption Act and the Indian Penal Code.
The Lokayukta took note of the chief minister's direction for investigation into the case by the central crime branch but said an investigation into illegalities will be done under the Lokayukta Act and there was "no conflict" between the two probes.