Karnataka is grappling with fresh allegations of financial misconduct, overshadowing the previous MUDA scandal. The new controversy revolves around the alleged misappropriation of Covid relief funds amounting to crores of rupees during the tenure of former Chief Minister BS Yeddiyurappa. The controversy has sparked discussions about a series of alleged scams under the BJP-led administration.Key Findings in Preliminary ReportAccording to a media outlet, a preliminary report by Justice John Michael DCunha, presented in a recent cabinet meeting, has revealed troubling findings. According to sources, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah highlighted three critical points from the report:Serious Financial Irregularities: The report alleges that hundreds of crores of rupees allocated for Covid relief were misappropriated.Missing Files: There are numerous files unaccounted for, despite repeated requests for their submission to the investigative body.Estimated Financial Losses: While the total expenditure on Covid relief in Karnataka was approximately Rs 13,000 crore, unofficial estimates suggest that around Rs 1,000 crore may have been siphoned off.Next Steps and Government ResponseThe report is expected to be finalized within six months and might be presented during the winter session of Parliament. To facilitate this, the government has extended the tenure of the committee responsible for the investigation.A 1000-page interim report will soon be reviewed by officials before being submitted to the government in less than a month. Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister HK Patil described the situation as unfortunate, arguing that comparisons with the MUDA scandal are misleading. He emphasized that the MUDA issue is recent, whereas the DCunha committee was established a year ago for administrative reasons.Political ImplicationsThe DCunha report could be advantageous for Congress and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, particularly as the BJP continues to scrutinize the MUDA scandal. Siddaramaiah has contested the Governors decision to prosecute him over the MUDA issue in court.The scandal is also tied to allegations of irregularities in land allocation by the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA). There have been claims that land parcels allocated to BM Parvathi, Siddaramaiahs wife, were valued disproportionately compared to the land given in exchange.
