Sau Paulo: Brazil Supreme Court Justice Rosa Weber directed the top prosecutor’s office late on Friday to investigate President Jair Bolsonaro, for dereliction of duty in the process of procuring an Indian Covid – 19 vaccines.

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 collection of evidence pertaining to the case.

He has been implicated in allegations of irregularities surrounding a 1.6 billion reais ($316 million) contract signed in February for 20 million doses of Covaxin with a Brazilian intermediary for the Bharat Biotech.

Brazilian Senate Commission investigating the administration’s handling of the Covid – 19 pandemic has cited suspicions of overpricing and corruption related to the contract. The Government suspended the contract after allegations of irregularities surfaced.

Brazilian CGU also separately investigating the alleged irregularities in the deal. According to the law makers’ sources, case allegedly involves the Government’s Chief Whip Ricardo Barros in the lower house of Congress. Bolsonaro and Barros denied any wrongdoing.