BMC Covid Centre Scam: Sanjay Raut's Close Aide Among 2 Arrested By ED In Maharashtra

The ED has alleged that the private contractors appointed to run the BMC's jumbo Covid-19 treatment centres manipulated the number of patients admitted to the facilities to procure government funds.

The ED has nabbed two suspects in the BMC Covid centre scam.

The Enforcement Directorate has arrested two persons in the alleged Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation Covid centre scam. The arrested suspects were identified as Sujit Patkar, a close aide of Sanjay Raut, and one Kishor Bisure, reported news agency ANI. The ED has requested eight days of custody for both the accused from the PMLA court for further investigation.

The ED is probing alleged irregularities in the allotment of a civic contract to a firm to operate the jumbo Covid treatment facilities in Mumbai. A CAG report was presented in the Budget session regarding the management of Rs 12,000 crore by the BMC during Covid. In this report, several irregularities by the civic administration were mentioned. 

The ED's move comes after the SIT constituted to probe the case conducted an inquiry into the functioning of all BMC departments earlier this week.

In June, the ED conducted searches across Maharashtra in the case and seized Rs 68.65 lakh cash and documents pertaining to more than 50 immovable properties with an estimated market value of more than Rs 150 crore. The probe agency said that it also recovered fixed deposits and investments of Rs 15 crore, along with jewellery worth Rs 2.46 crore and several electronic devices.

ED said that searches revealed that a particular entity was supplying body bags for dead COVID-19 patients for Rs 2,000, while the said company supplied body bags for Rs 6,800 to the Central Procurement Department of BMC. The contract was given on instruction of the then mayor of BMC, it further stated.

What Are The Charges Of The ED? 

The ED has alleged that the private contractors appointed to run the BMC's jumbo Covid-19 treatment centres manipulated the number of patients admitted to the facilities to procure government funds. The ED's investigation revealed that doctors at the Covid centre as shown by Lifeline Hospital Management Services on papers didn't exist.