Report alleges irregularities in Kerala’s Break the Chain campaign during COVID-19
The Finance inspection wing (NT-D), which inquired into the implementation of Break the Chain, a campaign that was taken up across the State by the
The Finance inspection wing (NT-D), which inquired into the implementation of Break the Chain, a campaign that was taken up across the State by the Kerala Social Security Mission (KSSM) as part of COVID-19 prevention activities, has reported that many campaign activities and financial transactions conducted by the mission as part of the campaign did not comply with government-prescribed norms. The inspection, carried out in May 2024, states that although various activities were organised by the KSSM under Break the Chain, a campaign that cost ₹4.88 crore, the government never issued any order specifically assigning to the mission the responsibility for implementing the campaign. It said that no government ratification had been obtained for the programmes conducted or expenditure incurred by the KSSM. The Finance inspection report alleges various irregularities in works carried out at the KSSM headquarters for coordinating Break the Chain activities.
It says that no estimates were prepared for the above works, tender procedures were not completed, and no entries were made in the stocks register. Internal audit at the KSSM was conducted only by a chartered accountancy firm of KSSM’s own choosing. There is no evidence of any performance audit or social audit having been conducted regarding the mission’s activities. Advance amounts were given without value assessment, and settlement timelines were not adhered to. Many IEC works under the scheme were given to private agencies/individuals without prior government permission or post-completion ratification. The report recommends a comprehensive audit to ensure the accuracy of asset records at the KSSM and disciplinary action be taken against Mohammed Asheel, the then Executive Director of KSSM. ‘A conspiracy’ Asheel, in turn, has refuted the report of the finance inspection wing as unfair and has written to the Additional Chief Secretary (Finance) seeking the annulment of the said report.
He termed it a conspiracy and a systematic attempt to discredit one of the important and consequential emergency public health interventions he, as a public servant, had led in the State during COVID time. Asheel said that he had given a 69-page reply, which was a complete legal, technical and factual record, with documented evidence and primary source references, clarifying the allegations raised by the investigation team. He said that his detailed reply was systematically cherry-picked, deliberately truncated, and dismissed without engagement, with a terse “unsatisfactory” verdict, without specifying why the proof he submitted was unacceptable. He also pointed out that he was never contacted even once during the seven inspection visits made by the Finance team, by letter, email, or notice. The inspection team constructed its “findings” entirely from those who were actively withholding evidence, and he was asked to respond.
The BriefWire