HC orders investigation into fraud allegations against BJP MLA Gore's aide
The allegations stem from accusations made by Jayant Patil, an MLA from the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar faction), in the Maharashtra assembly
Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Monday directed Satara police to investigate allegations of forgery and cheating against an aide of Jaykumar Gore, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) member of the legislative assembly (MLA). The court has given the police three weeks to complete the probe.
The allegations stem from accusations made by Jayant Patil, an MLA from the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar faction), in the Maharashtra assembly. Patil claimed that Gore had fraudulently claimed money allocated for free COVID-19 treatment on behalf of deceased individuals.
A bench comprising Justice R P Mohite-Dere and Justice PK Chavan heard a petition filed by a former vice president of Shree Chatrapati Shivaji Education Society. The petition sought the registration of a criminal case and further investigation against the Institute of Medical Science and Research Centre, Mayani (IMSRC). Gore served as the society's president from 2019 to 2021, with his wife, Sonia Gore, acting as secretary. An First Information Report (FIR) against IMSRC has already been filed at the Vaduj police station in Satara.
The court, which had previously ordered a police investigation on 22 July 2024, noted that IMSRC's licence had been suspended in August 2021 due to operational irregularities. However, IMSRC appealed the suspension and was subsequently investigated by a three-member committee appointed by the state government, which cleared the institute of wrongdoing.
During an earlier hearing, the petitioner's counsel demonstrated the alleged fraud by presenting conflicting documents related to a COVID-19 patient. The patient was purportedly admitted to IMSRC in July 2021 and discharged within 10 days after receiving treatment until 8 July 2021. However, the petitioner produced a death certificate stating that the same patient had died in June 2021. To further complicate matters, the counsel presented another document signed by the patient in July 2021 after their discharge, indicating that they were indeed alive, contrary to the death certificate's claim.
These discrepancies prompted the court to order an investigation into the matter. The probe is expected to shed light on the allegations of fraudulent claims for COVID-19 treatment funds and the apparent inconsistencies in patient records at IMSRC.
The case has drawn significant attention, highlighting potential irregularities in the management of COVID-19 relief funds and raising questions about the oversight of medical institutions during the pandemic. As the investigation unfolds, it may have broader implications for accountability in healthcare administration and the allocation of public funds during health crises.