Siddaramaiah govt orders probe into scam in Kalyana Karnataka bodies

Bengaluru: Just two days before the high-voltage bypolls in three constituencies, the Congress government on Monday ordered an investigation into the allegations of irregularities in the Kalyana Karnataka region when the BJP was in power.

In its order, the government appointed retired IAS officer Sudhir Kumar to investigate allegations of misappropriation in the Kalyana Karnataka Region Development Board (KKRDB) and Kalyana Karnataka Human Resource, Agriculture & Cultural Society.

Kumar has been given six months to submit a report.

The investigation order came even as Channapatna, Shiggaon and Sandur go to polls on November 13. Sandur comes under Ballari in the Kalyana Karnataka region.

This move also comes right after excerpts of the Justice John Michael Cunha Commission's report were leaked to show irregularities in procurement of PPE kits during the Covid-19 pandemic and the recommendation that then chief minister BS Yediyurappa and health minister B Sriramulu must be prosecuted.

After the Congress came to power last year, a committee under the then additional chief secretary E V Ramana Reddy was formed to look into the allegations of misappropriation in the two Kalyana Karnataka organisations. Kumar is expected to conduct further investigation after studying the earlier report in detail.

The allegations on the KKRDB include misappropriation of Rs 45 crore meant to purchase 315 new buses for other purposes, sanctioning only 37 Primary Health Centres (PHC) although the government had approved the construction of 47 PHCs, not initiating works to build 815 Anganwadi buildings despite government approval, excessive spending of Rs 50 lakh for the Hyderabad Karnataka Liberation Day and so on.

Showing fake accounts of having planted one crore plants each in six districts of the region at a cost of 310.59 crore, spending Rs 327.40 crore to establish digital classrooms in private aided schools despite the exercise not coming under the jurisdiction of the society’s president and secretary, illegal expenditure for rented buildings belonging to the Public Works Department and illegal expenditure of crores of rupees in Sedam taluk are some of the allegations on the KKHRACS.