Nagamohan Das panel to probe Rs 500 crore graft in KEONICS during BJP government: Priyank Kharge
BENGALURU: On Thursday, RDPR and IT-BT Minister Priyank Kharge made allegations of corruption amounting to Rs 500 crore within KEONICS (Karnataka State Electronics Development Corporation Limited) during the previous BJP administration. He further announced that the case would be referred to the Justice H N Nagamohan Das panel, which had been established to investigate the 40-percent commission allegations made by contractors.
Kharge stated during a press conference at Vidhana Soudha, “The Accountant General’s (AG) office conducted an extensive audit of KEONICS’ transactions and procurements from 2019 to 2023. The findings revealed irregularities, with inflated bills of up to 400 percent being paid to vendors, accounting for 10-15 percent of the transactions. I have discussed this matter with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, and after a separate audit, we will refer the case to the Justice Nagamohan Das panel.”
He also refuted allegations of bribery against him by the BJP for approving bills in KEONICS, saying, “Not a single order related to procurement was passed after I assumed office that the BJP did not have.” Kharge further criticized the BJP, stating, “They unknowingly dug a pit for themselves. The BJP IT cell is spreading falsehoods on social media without conducting proper research, and their MLAs and former ministers blindly follow suit.”
Kharge shared the AG’s audit findings, revealing instances of fraudulent third-party evaluations with forged signatures, resulting in false claims of bills totaling Rs 9.3 crore. Some vendors allegedly claimed Rs 4.43 crore without delivering the goods. He highlighted that procurement of goods at higher rates without market rate analysis had led to a loss of Rs 47.76 crore to the exchequer. In response, the audit conducted physical inspections of items in selected districts. Kharge also pointed out that Rs 24.15 lakh had been paid for setting up computer labs in schools, a rate 474 percent higher than the market price of Rs 5 lakh.
