Min, 3 IAS officers accused of malpractice in sanitiser purchase

Bengaluru: A former BJP MLA has filed a complaint with the Karnataka Lokayukta, accusing a minister from the BJP government, three IAS officers and three other officials of indulging in malpractice in purchase of sanitisers from different companies when Covid-19 pandemic had begun in March.
Sarvabhouma Bagali from Indi has named seven persons who allegedly caused loss of many crores of rupees to the state exchequer.
“The government in March placed orders for sanitisers with an Andhra Pradesh-based company which charged Rs 2,500 per unit of five litres of sanitisers. The company had sold one unit of five litres to Andhra Pradesh government for Rs 520. The state has purchased 15,000 units of sanitisers for Rs 2,500 and has nearly Rs 3 crore excess when compared to the rates at which AP paid,” Bagali said.
According to him, initially, the firm quoted Rs 97.44 per 500 ml sanitisers and the government placed an order. “But the firm did not supply. The government increased the price to Rs 108 per 500 ml and then again to Rs 138 and still, supply was not made. Finally, the price was fixed at Rs 250. When the firm did not agree for Rs 97.44 as quoted in the tender papers, why did the government not opt for another firm, which had quoted Rs 99? Why did the government revise the price thrice?” Bagali asked.
In another case, the government hasn’t acted against a firm that had supplied poor quality sanitisers, he alleged.
“Officials found the the sanitisers supplied to Ramanagara and Kalaburagi were of sub-standard quality. The company should have been blacklisted. But no action has been initiated against the company till now,” he said.