The Kerala Lokayukta on Friday ordered a probe against former health minister K K Shailaja and 10 others in connection with a complaint alleging they received kickbacks from the purchase of personal protective equipment (PPE) kits and other medical equipment in 2020 — during the initial days of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Shailaja, who had received global appreciation at the time for leading the state’s fight against Covid-19, has refuted the allegations calling them politically motivated.

Youth Congress leader Veena S Nair had moved the anti-corruption body two months ago saying PPE kits were purchased at exorbitant rates in 2020 through the Kerala Medical Services Corporation (KMSCL), the purchasing firm of the state health department. Shailaja was the health minister at the time.

On March 29, 2020, a single PPE kit was priced at ₹446 whereas the next day, it was purchased at ₹1,550, Nair alleged her compliant.

Nair stated that though PPE kits were available for cheaper rates, the KMSCL purchased the expensive ones and entered into an agreement with foreign firms. She alleged that kickbacks were given in the deal.

Besides PPE kits, Nair also alleged corruption in purchases of other medical equipment, including gloves, thermometers and oxygen metres. She alleged that in some cases, the money was transferred to foreign firms even before delivery.

After examining records submitted along with the complaint, the anti-corruption body on Friday ordered a probe and sent notices to Shailaja, former health secretary Rajan Khobragade, former KMSCL director S R Dileep and eight others. They have been asked to file a reply in a month’s time.

Shailaja told reporters that her priority at the time was to save lives and denied any corruption in purchases.

She said that in the initial days of the pandemic, life-saving devices were not available in the domestic market forcing the KMSCL to purchase from foreign firms.

“The complaint is politically motivated and we will deal with it legally,” she said.

The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) welcomed the probe and said more such cases were likely to be revealed. “We have raised the charges two years ago. But the government refused to heed them. We welcome the decision of Lokayukta. It is only the tip of iceberg. If they probe it properly many such Covid-related graft cases will surface,” said BJP state president K Surendran.

Recently, Shailaja denied the Magsaysay award committee’s recommendation for the prestigious award after her party, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) denied permission. Later, she said it was the state’s collective leadership that was behind rapid strides in the health sector and not an individual’s efforts.

After the CPI(M) retained power in the 2021 assembly elections, Shailaja was considered a prime candidate for retaining the health ministry but it was handed over to Veena George after the party decided to bring in a new team , aside from chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

According to Union health ministry data on Friday evening, Kerala has reported 6,739,602 Covid-19 cases so far and 71, 282 deaths — the second highest casualty count after Maharashtra’s 148,000.