PPE Scam: Senior Odisha IAS Officers Appear Before Lokayukta Again

Bhubaneswar: Senior IAS officers – Industries Secretary Hemant Sharma and Managing Director of the Odisha State Medical Corporation Limited Yamini Sarangi – appeared before the Lokayukta for the second time in connection with the alleged multi-hundred crore PPE, mask and nebuliser purchase scam, on Wednesday.

Congress leader Sudarshan Das informed that the two officers were questioned about the reason for a sudden change in the decision of the emergency purchasing committee for PPE kits.

The officers had last appeared before the Lokayukta in September, following a warning after having failed to respond to the notice on August 11.

The Odisha government had on June 5 had removed Sharma from the supervision of procurement of PPE kits, masks, nebulisers and other necessary items for COVID-19 management following allegations of large scale corruption.

Besides Congress, Odisha Vikash Parishad (OVP) had alleged the involvement of many IAS officers and the Odisha State Medical Corporation in the scam and demanded a fair probe into the matter.