Mumbai jumbo COVID centre scam: Businessman Sujit Patkar, who is said to be closely associated with Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut, had played a “key role” in the allotment of a civic contract to his partnership firm for the operation of large COVID-19 centers in Mumbai, the Enforcement Directorate said in its chargesheet.
According to the ED, Patkar had access to advance information about the tender process for these COVID-19 centers due to his “proximity with a politically exposed person”. Out of the total proceeds of the crime amounting to Rs 32.44 crore, Rs 2.81 crore was transferred to his personal bank account.
In addition to Sujit Patkar, the chargesheet lists several other individuals as accused, including the firm Lifeline Hospital Management Services, its three partners, and Dr Kishore Bisure, who served as the dean of the Dahisar Jumbo COVID Centre.
Patkar and Bisure were arrested by ED
Patkar and Bisure were arrested by the Enforcement Directorate under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and are presently in judicial custody.
As per the ED chargesheet, Patkar, a major partner with a 30 per cent share in Lifeline Hospital Management Services, initially invested only Rs 12,500 at the time of the firm's incorporation.
The chargesheet states that Patkar engaged in criminal activities and conspired with other accused partners and officials of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation to secure a tender/contract.
Patkar managed to gather prior information about the tender process
"He managed to gather prior information about the tender process due to his proximity with “politically exposed person” and then he, as well as his partners, set up the firm to obtain the tender issued by civic authorities," the chargesheet stated. “Patkar used to liaison with BMC officials and played a key role in the process of allotment of contract of manpower supply to Jumbo Covid facility at Dahisar and Worli to Lifeline Management Services,” it stated.
The ED's chargesheet also mentioned that the accused partners devised a plan to inadequately deploy medical staff at the Dahisar and Worli Jumbo Covid facilities for their own financial gain. As part of their plan, they directed their staff members assigned to the mentioned Jumbo Covid Centers to fabricate attendance records in accordance with the Expression of Interest (EOI) issued by the civic body.
Huge under-deployment of medical staff
As per the plan, there was huge under-deployment of medical staff, which had put the lives of the COVID-19 patients at risk, the chargesheet said. It claimed the accused had submitted fake and fabricated attendance sheets and related records for Dahisar Jumbo Covid facility, whereas, with regard to the Worli centre, invoices were submitted to the civic body without any attendance data and staff records.
Patkar, in connivance with other partners, intentionally did not reveal the cancellation of contract by Pune Municipal Region Development Authority, which had specified the firm’s lacunas and had also issued advisory not to give any further works to Lifeline Hospital Management Services in view of larger public interest, the ED chargesheet pointed out.
Obtaining payments to the tune of Rs 32.44 crore from the civic body as part of this contract created proceeds of crime, it said. Of this PoC, an amount of Rs 2.81 crore was diverted in the personal bank account of Patkar between November 2020 and October 2022, the chargesheet further said.
This amount was mostly utilized in repayment of his personal (property and vehicle) loans and other expenses by projecting them as untainted funds, the chargesheet added.
ED seized Rs 68.65 lakh
In August 2022, former Bharatiya Janata Party MP Kirit Somaiya filed a complaint with the Mumbai Police, alleging that fraudulent documents were submitted to secure the contract for the Jumbo Covid centers.
In June 2023, the federal agency conducted raids at more than 15 locations of a few BMC officers including Sanjeev Jaiswal, suppliers and IAS officers in Mumbai, the premises of businessman Sujit Patkar, Suraj Chavan and others who are allegedly close aides of Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders Aaditya Thackeray and Sanjay Raut, in connection with the case.
During the search. the ED seized Rs 68.65 lakh in cash, documents revealing more than 50 immovable properties (estimated market value of more than Rs 150 crore) across Maharashtra, fixed deposits/investments of Rs 15 crores, jewellery items worth Rs 2.46 core along with several electronic devices such as mobile phones, laptops and various incriminating records and documents.
The officials claim that Patkar and his three partners allegedly bagged Mumbai civic body contracts fraudulently for managing COVID-19 field hospitals during the pandemic. The Azad Maidan police station here registered a forgery case against Lifeline Hospital Management Services firm, Patkar and his three partners in August last year.
(With PTI inputs)
Also Read: BMC COVID scam: ED arrests 2 people, including Sanjay Raut’s close aide
Also Read: Mumbai covid centres scam: Two accused, both close aide of Sanjay Raut, arrested by EOW
