Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 15 (IANS): Former Kerala Health Minister K.K Shailaja on Saturday rubbished the corruption allegations levelled against her in buying of Covid PPE kits, saying the need of the hour then, was to act quickly as save lives and that the purchases were made with the chief minister's approval.

Shailaja's response came after Lok Ayukta, probing the Covid purchases, summoned her in connection with the inquiry.

"The need of the hour then, was to act quickly as the lives of medical professionals was very important. Vijayan was informed about it and he gave the nod for affecting the purchases and it was done," said the former minister, who is travelling abroad.

"I am sure the Lok Ayukta will understand that saving lives was the need of the hour," added Shailaja.

Congress leader Veena Nair, who was a candidate at the 2021 Assembly polls in the state capital city constituency had approached the Lok Ayukta with a complaint of widespread allegations of corruption which was brought out by the media about purchases made during the Covid in 2020.

PPE kits which ought to have cost around Rs 500 were purchased for Rs 1,500 is the major allegation and the Lok Ayukta after conducting a preliminary probe has sent notices to Shailaja and 12 others to appear before them on December 8.

In a related development, former Minister of Higher Education K.T.Jaleel slammed the differential treatment being done by the Lok Ayukta as he took to the social media to express his ire that when a case against him came, he was given no time and he was not even heard.

"It's now known that the Lok Ayukta knows to give a notice and conduct a preliminary probe, which I never got," said Jaleel, who in 2021 had to resign as a Minister on a complaint of nepotism and the Lok Ayukta found him guilty.