Covid jumbo centre scam: EOW arrests two

Raju Nandakumar Salunke alias Rajiv, 48, and Bala Ramchandra Kadam alias Sunil, 58, were arrested by the EOW. The accused upon being confronted with evidence gathered during investigation, failed to give satisfactory answers to queries and gave evasive replies

Mumbai. The Mumbai Police Economic Offences Wing (EOW) has arrested two persons in connection with the alleged fraud pertaining to sanctioning of contracts and payments to a company contracted by Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to set up Covid jumbo centres in Mumbai during the pandemic. They allegedly caused loss to the civic body to the tune of ₹38 crore. Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut’s close associate Sujit Patkar is one of the accused in the case.

Mumbai, India - December 01, 2021: BMC readies a Dedicated Jumbo Covid-19 Hospital of 21,150-bed capacity amid fears of a third wave due to the new variant Omicron, at Malad, in Mumbai, India, on Wednesday, December 01, 2021. (Photo by Vijay Bate/HT Photo) (HT PHOTO)

Raju Nandakumar Salunke alias Rajiv, 48, and Bala Ramchandra Kadam alias Sunil, 58, were arrested by the EOW. The accused upon being confronted with evidence gathered during investigation, failed to give satisfactory answers to queries and gave evasive replies, the EOW stated on Tuesday.

EOW sources said that the two accused were alleged beneficiaries and also acted as middlemen. They failed to give satisfactory answers to justify suspicious monetary transactions in their bank account, hence, were arrested.

Salunkhe was produced before the court and was remanded to police custody till March 6, while Kadam will be produced in court on Wednesday, the EOW added.

In August last year, an FIR was registered by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Kirit Somaiya against four partners of Lifeline Hospital Management Services including Sujit Mukund Patkar.

Among the others named in the FIR were Dr Hemant Ramsharan Gupta, Sanjay Madanlal Shah and Raju Nandkumar Salunkhe. In October 2022, the investigation of the case was transferred to the EOW.

Somaiya had alleged in the complaint that the firm was given the contract though it did not have any experience in providing health or medical services. The firm got the contract on the basis of forged documents including its partnership deed.

He also alleged the firm was blacklisted by Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority for providing medical services, but the firm concealed this fact from BMC and managed to get the contract for providing services in jumbo centres.

The BJP leader had earlier alleged that the pre-bid meeting for the 100-bed jumbo facility at Dahisar was convened on June 25, 2020, and the expression of interest for the jumbo facility was called on June 27. Lifeline Hospital Management Services was established only on June 26.

“Thus, even before the partnership firm came into existence, the accused attended a pre-bid meeting and secured the contract for operation and management of Covid ICU beds at Dahisar and was requested to mobilise manpower within seven days,” stated Somaiya in a complaint he had filed before a city court in March last year.

The EOW, in January this year, had also sent notices to senior officials of BMC seeking details pertaining to sanctioning contracts and payments to company contracted by BMC to set up Covid jumbo centres in Mumbai during the pandemic.