FIR against firm that operated Worli, Dahisar Covid centres on Somaiya complaint

Among the four partners of Lifeline Hospital Management Services named in the FIR is Sujit Mukund Patkar, who is claimed to be close to the family of jailed Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut

MUMBAI: The Mumbai Police registered a first information report (FIR) against partners of a private company contracted by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to set up Covid jumbo centres at Worli and Dahisar. The case was registered on a complaint by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Kirit Somaiya who alleged that firm the got the contract on the basis of forged documents including its partnership deed.

In March this year, BJP leader Kirit Somaiya also filed a complaint with a Mumbai court to seek a probe against the Lifeline Hospital Management Services partners. (HT File Photo/Bhushan Koyande)

The FIR names four partners of Lifeline Hospital Management Services including Sujit Mukund Patkar, who is claimed to be close to the family of jailed Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut. Among the others named in the FIR are Dr Hemant Ramsharan Gupta, Sanjay Madanlal Shah and Raju Nandkumar Salunkhe.

“We have registered a case on Wednesday and booked the partners of the firm for causing wrongful loss to the BMC to the tune of ₹38 crore. The amount may increase during the course of the investigation,” said inspector Pravin Pawle of Azad Maidan police station.

The FIR has been registered under sections 406 (criminal breach of trust), 420 (cheating), 465 (forgery), 467 (forgery of valuable security), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating), 471 (using as genuine a forged), 304A (causing death by negligence) and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code.

In his complaint, Somaiya also alleged that the firm was given the contract though it did not have any experience in providing health or medical services.

He 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.

To be sure, Somaiya questioned the functioning of the jumbo Covid facility in Pune earlier this year. A statement issued by the Pune divisional commissioner’s office in February said: “Lifeline was given the project after considering its experience. Later, after finding some error on scrutiny, the agency was given a show cause notice and blacklisted on September 9, 2020. PMRDA (Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority) also seized Rs25 lakh which was provided as deposit.”

In March this year, Somaiya also filed a complaint with a Mumbai court to seek a probe against the Lifeline Hospital Management Services partners. In his complaint, Somaiya 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,” it added.