Fresh trouble for Soni as VB starts probe in sanitiser scam

Vishav Bharti

Chandigarh, September 14

Fresh trouble seems to be brewing for former Deputy Chief Minister Om Parkash Soni as the Vigilance Bureau (VB) has started an inquiry into the hand sanitiser scam.

The inquiry has started following a series of stories published by The Tribune exposing how the hand sanitisers were purchased at inflated rates during the Covid outbreak.

The Tribune on June 14 highlighted that Soni himself had given the approval for the purchase of sanitiser at inflated rates.

HOW THE CASE UNFOLDED

• The Tribune on March 23 highlighted that the PHSC purchased over 1.8 lakh bottles (500 ml each) of hand sanitisers on Jan 5 for the EC for just Rs 54.54 each (excluding GST) and 1.55 lakh bottles (500 ml each) of the same sanitiser for hospitals for Rs 160 each
• Earlier Soni had been denying his involvement in the purchase. But bringing the file notings to the public domain, The Tribune on June 14 highlighted that Soni himself had given the approval for the purchase of sanitiser at inflated rates

A letter sent to the Managing Director (MD) of the Punjab Health Systems Corporation (PHSC), Neelima, by the VB on August 29 revealed that it had received a complaint against health officials and Soni regarding the purchase of hand sanitisers at inflated rates during the Covid outbreak.

In the letter, the VB has further requested Neelima to send the officials concerned to its office with the complete purchase records.

Soni, who held the portfolio of health in the previous Congress government, had himself given the nod to the purchase of hand sanitisers at inflated rates.

When contacted, the former Deputy CM said he was unaware of any such inquiry and hadn't been communicated by anyone. The PHSC MD, however, was not available for comments.

Earlier taking cognisance of The Tribune news reports, the Department of Revenue, Rehabilitation and Disaster Management had sought the entire record of the purchase from the Health Department in June. The funds for the Covid control campaign were given from the disaster management department.

For Covid control, the Health Department was given Rs 571.07 crore, but a large number of items — hand and floor sanitisers, masks and furniture — were purchased at inflated rates.

from The Tribune https://ift.tt/EU1C2Ys