Covid medical equipment scam in UP, alleges AAP

Sunday, 13 September 2020 | Staff Reporter | NEW DELHI

Covid medical equipment scam in UP, alleges AAP

Sunday, 13 September 2020 | Staff Reporter | NEW DELHI

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj on Saturday said that a massive scam took place in BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh in the name of procurement of medical items during Covid-19.

Bhardwaj demanded an independent probe into the matter. Bhardwaj said that in Uttar Pradesh, corruption was being done by increasing the price of thermometers and oximeters by 500, 400 and 300 per cent at 65 districts.

“The BJP MLA Devmani Dwivedi wrote a letter to CM Yogi's Principal Secretary regarding the procurement of medical items at a much higher price at Sultanpur. Bhardwaj said that Sultanpur District Magistrate immediately held a press conference, stating the purchase of medical equipment followed the instructions of the government and rubbished the allegations of BJP MLA,” he said.

Bhardwaj said that screenshots of WhatsApp sent by the MLA show how the District Magistrates were pressurizing the panchayats to pay the money for the equipment quickly.

"These are some examples but the same thing is happening in every village of Uttar Pradesh. The oximeters are available within Rs 500 but in BJP-ruled UP these oximeters are being bought at such a higher price to do corruption. How can the BJP government under CM Yogi Adityanath overlook such a massive corruption under his nose,” he asked?

Bhardwaj further said, "The CMO of Uttar Pradesh bought a machine called haematology analyser from a company named D N Enterprise, Pratapgarh. This company has sold these haematology analysers which were from a Chinese company. These analysers were sold Rs 3,30,000 per machine. Whereas the UP government’s e-marketplace website such machines made in India were available for just Rs 1,45,000 thousand”.

"It is ridiculous that the Chief Minister himself constituted a special investigation team of three officers to investigate the corruption case in which the Chief Minister himself is being accused. How can we expect that the officers who were chosen by the UP CM will do an impartial probe? The AAP wants an independent probe on this case," said Bhardwaj.