Brazil Supreme Court gives nod for probe into President Jair Bolsonaro over Covaxin deal with Bharat Biotech

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro (File image: Reuters)

Brazil's Supreme Court has authorized an investigation of President Jair Bolsonaro over alleged irregularities in the procurement of India-made COVID-19 vaccine Covaxin.

In a July 2 decision, Supreme Court Justice Rosa Weber said the investigation of Bolsonaro is to be done by the top prosecutor's office, or PGR, for dereliction of duty in the process of procuring Covaxin, reported news agency Reuters.

The investigation of the president by the PGR had to be formally authorized by the Supreme Court. In her decision, Justice Weber gave authorities 90 days for the collection of evidence pertaining to the case, said the report.

The president has been implicated in allegations of irregularities surrounding a 1.6 billion reais ($316 million) contract signed in February for 20 million doses with a Brazilian intermediary for the vaccine's maker, Bharat Biotech.

A Brazilian Senate commission investigating the administration's handling of the pandemic has cited suspicions of overpricing and corruption related to the contract.

After allegations of irregularities surfaced, the government suspended the contract.

Brazilian federal prosecutors and the comptroller general's office, or CGU, are also separately investigating the alleged irregularities in the deal. The case allegedly involves the government's chief whip in the lower house of Congress, Ricardo Barros, according to lawmakers.

Both Bolsonaro and Barros have denied any wrongdoing.

Following the SC order, protests against President Jair Bolsonaro spread across Brazil.

The protests were originally scheduled for July 24 but were brought forward after evidence of irregularities related to that vaccine deal were presented before a Senate committee investigating the federal government's handling of the pandemic.

Brazil's COVID-19 crisis has been compounded by a slow vaccine rollout.

By 2.00 pm local time, protests had drawn thousands of people in at least 13 state capitals, said the news agency citing local media reports. Demonstrations were scheduled to take place in 315 Brazilian cities and in 15 countries, local media reported citing the organizers of the acts.

(With inputs from agencies)