Kozhikode: The State Health Department has recommended the Finance Department to probe the allegations of multi-crore financial irregularities in purchasing COVID-time emergency medicines by the Kerala Medical Services Corporation (KMSCL).
The KMCSL director has gone on two weeks' leave soon after the Health Department recommended a total rejig of the corporation. The revamp of the officials, including IAS officers, will be carried out with the chief minister's approval.
Serious allegations have been made against the KMSCL since the pandemic's first wave. It has been alleged that the officials placed orders at will for emergency medicines without floating tenders or inviting quotations.
Medicines and medical equipment worth Rs 1,600 were thus purchased and most of them are remaining unused. Funds were released by invoking the relevant sections of the Disaster Management Act.
It was also found several files related to the COVID-time purchases were deleted from the corporation's computer network. IT experts, however, recovered about 6,000 files, which will be scrutinised by the Finance Department.
The corporation's dealings have not been audited ever since the previous government took charge. It has been alleged that the relatives of an official, who looked after the finances, were the auditors. The official had earlier faced action.
Meanwhile, the managing director going on leave ahead of the Finance Department probe has been viewed with suspicion. The official, reportedly, took leave in connection with the Pongal festival.
