6 ‘scams’, 5 arrests: MVA’s Covid era under scanner as Aaditya Thackeray aide’s held
Politics
Written by Vijay Kumar Yadav
Mumbai | Updated: January 19, 2024 11:30 ISTFollow Us
THE arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) of Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aditya Thackeray’s close aide Suraj Chavan on Wednesday in connection with a money laundering case linked to the alleged khichdi scam is another indication of the sustained pursuit by Central agencies of decisions taken during the Covid pandemic by the then Maha Vikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra.
The ED is now investigating four alleged scams dealing with the handling of the Covid-19 from that time, all opened in the last 16 months. At least five arrests have so far been made in these cases, by the ED as well as the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Mumbai Police. Besides, several Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders, civic officials, middlemen and contractors who were part of the operations during the Covid period have been questioned.
The BJP accuses the then united Sena and its leader Uddhav Thackerey, who was the Chief Minister at the time, of gross financial irregularities in the functioning of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) during the pandemic.
| Rs 1.25 cr transferred to Aaditya aide Suraj Chavan's personal bank account: ED
The first of the FIRs was filed in August 2022, by BJP leader Kirit Somaiya, who alleged scams in setting up of Covid jumbo centres, where people quarantined following exposure to the virus were isolated.
The ED launched a money laundering probe in the matter and claims to have stumbled upon various alleged irregularities estimated to be worth around Rs 4,000 crore in the BMC’s spendings during the period.
This prompted the ED to write to the EOW of the Mumbai Police, highlighting details of the alleged irregularities. Following this, multiple Preliminary Enquiries were initiated by the Mumbai Police, and gradually almost all of them turned into FIRs.
Alongside these FIRs, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Mumbai Police EOW is carrying out three separate enquiries pertaining to various irregularities in the BMC’s overall functioning in the past few years, based on the findings of the Comptroller Auditor General’s (CAG) audit report. No FIR has been registered in these so far.
| BMC Khichdi scam: Aaditya Thackeray’s aide Suraj Chavan questioned for six hours
The Covid ‘scams’ and the FIRs:
Covid jumbo centres: Lifeline Management Service Pvt Ltd ‘scam’
FIR: Was filed on August 24, 2022, at the Azad Maidan Police Station. The Mumbai Police EOW took over the probe in October 2022. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) lodged a money laundering (PMLA) case in November 2022.
Amount involved: Rs 31.84 crore
Suspects: Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut’s close aide Sujit Patkar (arrested in July 2023), Dr Kishore Bisure, the Dean of Dahisar Covid Centre, Raju Nandkumar Salunkhe, and Bala Ramchandra Kadam alias Sunil.
Questioned/Summoned: IAS officer Sanjeev Jaiswal and BMC Commissioner I S Chahal.
| Covid jumbo centre scam: EOW books contractor close to Aditya Thackeray, BMC officials for Rs 37 crore fraud
The case: It relates to the setting up of field hospitals by the state government in Mumbai during Covid. The BMC was tasked with providing healthcare staff and other facilities on a contract basis. Somaiya has alleged that contracts were given at exorbitant rates to contractors linked to Shiv Sena leaders and that they did not have prior experience dealing with healthcare services.
Patkar is said to have orchestrated a fraud amounting to Rs 31.84 crore by obtaining a tender for Lifeline Management Services, a company in which he is a partner. The ED has said that on the instructions of Patkar and other partners of the firm, the doctors / staff of Lifeline Hospital Management Services submitted their attendance to the BMC in the form of fabricated bills. These bills allegedly showed that regular employee / staff were providing services at the jumbo Covid centres, despite under-deployment in the range of 50-60%.
Bisure is alleged to have arranged with a partner of Lifeline Management Services to project that the doctor-to-patient ratio was being maintained as per the specifications mentioned in the Expression of Interest (EOI) issued to Lifeline Management Services.
The ED has claimed that its scrutiny of bank accounts showed that Patkar had received a substantial amount from the said funds, despite having made an investment of just Rs 12,500 at the time of incorporation of Lifeline Hospital Management Services.
| Covid jumbo centres: ED attaches assets worth Rs 12 crore belonging to Sanjay Raut’s aide Sujit Patkar, his partners
The role of Jaiswal, who was then posted with the BMC as Additional Municipal Commissioner, is also under the ED scanner as he signed off on the documents pertaining to awarding of contracts for healthcare services, staff and equipment at the Covid field hospitals.
Current status: Both the EOW and ED have filed chargesheets in the case. Patkar is in judicial custody.
* Covid body bag ‘scam’
FIR: Filed on August 4, 2023, at the Agripada Police Station. The EOW later took over the investigation.
Suspects: Mumbai’s former mayor and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Kishori Pednekar, a former additional municipal commissioner (projects), a former deputy municipal commissioner (purchase/CPD), private contractor Vedanta Innotech Pvt Ltd (VIPL), and other unknown government servants.
Arrested: Nil
Questioned / Summoned: Pednekar joined the probe after securing protection from arrest from the Bombay High Court. Earlier, the EOW questioned BMC Deputy Municipal Commissioner (Zone-2) Ramakant Biradar, who was in-charge of the civic body’s central purchasing department during the pandemic.
Amount involved: Rs 49.63 lakh
The case: The private company under the scanner allegedly supplied body bags to the BMC for deceased Covid patients at Rs 6,719 a piece, which was over three times what it had charged other private hospitals or government authorities during the same period, an earlier ED inquiry claimed.
The accused are said to have hatched a “criminal conspiracy” to favour M/s Vedanta Innotech Pvt Ltd (VIPL) and its directors for obtaining the bags.
Current Status: FIR registered, investigation is on.
* Khichdi ‘scam’
FIR: On September 1, 2023, at the Agripada Police Station. Transferred to EOW. Later, the ED registered a PMLA case.
The case: Alleged financial irregularities in awarding of BMC contracts for the distribution of khichdi to migrants left without work during Covid.
Amount involved: Rs 6.7 crore
Suspects: The EOW’s FIR named Patkar, Sunil alias Bala Kadam, Rajeev Salunkhe from the Sahyadri Refreshments, Force one Multi Service’s partners and employees, Sneha Caterer’s partners, then assistant municipal commissioner (Planning) and other unidentified BMC officers.
Arrests: The ED arrested Suraj Chavan, who is alleged to have used his influence to ensure that the accused contractor got the contract. Chavan allegedly also received money from the contractor.
Kadam and Salunkhe were previously arrested by the EOW in connection with the Covid jumbo centres scam. The two were later granted bail by the court.
The ED on October 18 raided seven places in Mumbai belonging to the Deputy Municipal Commissioner of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), Sangeeta Hasnale. Now posted in the planning department, Hansale is accused of not duly verifying the qualifications of the contractors who were required to act on the allotted contracts.
Current Status: FIR registered; both EOW and ED are investigating the matter.
* Remdesivir injections case
FIR: Registered on October 20, 2023, at the Agripada Station. The EOW took over the probe.
Suspects: Officials from BMC’s central purchase department and directors of firm Mylan Laboratories.
Arrested: Nil.
The case: Remdesevir injections priced at Rs 650 were allegedly purchased for Rs 1,568 each. As many as 65,000 such injections were said to have been purchased at inflated rates.
Amount involved: Rs 5.96 crore.
Current Status: An FIR has been registered. The EOW questioned Aaditya Thackeray’s friend Punyashali Parekh in connection with the case. Parekh was allegedly present at a key meeting held to take a decision pertaining to awarding of the contract.
* Oxygen plant case
FIR: Registered on November 22, 2023. The ED registered a money laundering case a few days later.
Suspects: Officials from the BMC’s central purchase department and directors of firm Mylan Laboratories.
Arrested: Ghatkopar-based contractor Romin Chheda of M/s Highway Construction Company was arrested on November 24.
The case: Exorbitant and overvalued payments were allegedly made to contractors who set up oxygen plants and various covid field hospitals.
Amount involved: Rs 6 crore.
Current Status: Civic officials are under scanner.
* Covid jumbo centres in Mulund-Dahisar
FIR and case: The Mumbai police EOW registered an FIR in January against a contractor close to Aaditya in connection with the alleged irregularities in the contracts pertaining to setting up of jumbo centres at Mulund and Dahisar.
Suspects: BMC contractor Rahul Gomes of Oaks Management Consultancy Pvt Ltd, his vendors, and then unidentified civic officers.
Amount involved: Rs 37 crore.
