Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)
Bengaluru, Jul 29: Assembly speaker, K B Koliwad, who has come to know that huge amounts have been siphoned off from the state exchequer by former legislators who produced fake medical bills under a scheme of medical expenses reimbursement, has entrusted investigation of the same to criminal investigation department (CID).
"A number of bills were found to have not been issued by respective hospitals. There are several fake bills. We are taking this issue seriously. If CID is found to be lethargic in conducting investigation, we will not dither from handing over investigation to another agency," Koliwad said.
A number of former legislators, misusing the provisions of Karnataka Salaries, Pension and Allowances Act 1965, have prepared inflated bills for non-existent diseases in the name of non-existent hospitals or relatives, it is said.
Initially, names of former legislators, Chittrnjan Kalakoti, Sudheendra Rao Kasabe, and Sa Lingaiah have surfaced. There is suspicion that many more former legislators, in connivance with officials, would have caused heavy loss to the government.
Realizing the gravity of the issue, assembly secretary, S Murthy, is learnt to have written to the state Internal administration department, asking it to hand over this investigation to CID.
Report claim that former MLA from Haveri district, Chittaranjan Kalakoti, has drawn a total of Rs 8.60 lac between 2013 and 2015 November towards medical bills of his wife and family members. The bills of Naveen Multi Speciality Hopital Raichur produced by him for claiming reimbursement were found to be fake.
Sudheendra Rao Kasabe from Raichur district had availed of medical reimbursement of Rs 2.56 lac for 2014 and 2015. He had further submitted bill for Rs 48,000 during 2016. The bills were not supported by doctor's prescription, type of disease etc and it is said that the officials passed the bills without proper verification. It has reportedly been found that these bills were fake.
Sa Lingaiah from Tumakuru district had obtained medical reimbursement of Rs 4.97 lac for 2014 and 2015.Strangely, this former legislator, who is 80 years old, has claimed that he has a nine-yer-old son. Surprisingly, he also claimed reimbursement for two wives, it is gathered. Local officials have said to have confirmed that documents and address furnished in these bills were fake.