Retd woman IAS officer, three others sentenced to 3 years SI

A retired woman IAS officer and three others have been sentenced to three years simple imprisonment by a CBI special court here today for irregularition in purchase of blood bags by Karnataka anti-AIDS body.
The court also slapped a fine of Rs 1.40 lakh on them.
T Mukthamba, the then Project Director of Karnataka State AIDS Prevention Society (KSAPS), G M Renukaiah, the then Technical Assistant, KSAPS, Bharat B Ostwal, propreitor of Rahul Pharma and Jeetendra Kumar M Ostwal, Proprietor of Life Associates, Hubliwas were convicted yesterday.
A CBI release said investigation revealed that National Aids Control Organisation had sanctioned a grant for purchase of consumable items for 17 additional blood banks at Rs 1.25 lakh per blood bank.

The KSAPS Deputy Director (Blood Safety) had sought the Project Director's permission to utilise Rs 10 lakh from the fund towards purchasing 17,000 350 ml blood bags, costing about Rs 62 each and for another Rs 10 lakh for purchase of HCV Elisa test kits and HCV Tridots.
The Deputy Director deliberately retained Rs 10 lakh to avoid inviting national competitive bidding and to facilitate National Shopping Process in which quotation from any three suppliers is required.

The note of Deputy Director was allegedly approved by the then Project Director T Mukthamba the same day. Accordingly, quotations were called and supply order was given to Rahul Pharma for supply of blood bags at the rate.

The act of the four persons had caused a wrongful loss of Rs 11,05,320, the release said.
CBI had filed a chargesheet after completing investigation against them under various sections of the IPC and Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. The Deputy Director died during the course of trial.
The trial court found all of them guilty and convicted them, the release said.