West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar today doubled down on his attacks against the Mamata Banerjee-led state government by saying that the members appointed by the chief minister to probe into the alleged scam, relating to purchase of pandemic related medical equipments, are the ones who need to be investigated while this probe is a “sham”.

Taking to Twitter, he claimed that it is ironic that those who need to be investigated are probing to report to those who need to be accountable. Dhankhar claimed that the “pandemic purchase scam cover-up” is getting murkier and questioned “what kind of probe it is!” Tagging Miss Banerjee on Twitter, he wrote, “post-facto ratification of massive irregularities @MamataOfficial by subordinates would be a sham.”

It may be noted the probepanel comprises home secretary Alapan Bandopadhyay, finance secretary Hari Krishna Dwivedi and health secretary Narayan Swaroop Nigam.

The Governor chose to warn the members of the probe panel by saying, “Those engaged in probe must remember –Be you ever so high, the law is always above you! Time to be transparent and declare to people the quantum of purchase, souring of purchase and the decision makers. All actions are under public gaze. Duty bound to be watchful.”

The Governor, lately, has been subjecting the state government to inquiries related to purchase of Covid treatment related equipment and has demanded to know where did all the money allotted for the purpose, invested and who benefited from it.

He asserted seeking these details should be the aim of the Mamata appointed probe panel. Dhankhar said the news of financial irregularities in procuring the Covid related essentials has left him perturbed. It may be noted the state government has allocated Rs 2000 crore for health infrastructure upgradation and most of this sum, has reportedly been spent in buying the personal protective equipment comprising gloves, sanitisers, masks and other essential medical equipment like ventilators etc.

Miss Banerjee formed a three member panel to probe into allegations of irregularities in purchase after the finance department relaxed the norms of tender to procure the necessary items.