Man held for selling BMC medical supplies

A man has been arrested for selling medical supplies from the BMC stock on the premises of MT Agarwal Hospital in Mulund, Mumbai. Unknown civic officials have also been booked in the case. Local BJP MLA Mihir Kotecha had complained to the BMC commissioner about the matter, and the accused was caught and handed over to the police. The accused was found selling plasters, orthopaedic belts and other such material, which had the stamp "FOR MCGM USE ONLY." The accused has been booked under sections 406, 409 and 420 of the Indian Penal Code.

MUMBAI: A man has been arrested on Wednesday for allegedly selling medical supplies from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) stock on the premises of MT Agarwal Hospital in Mulund. The police have also booked unknown civic officials in the case.

HT Image

Local BJP MLA Mihir Kotecha said some locals had complained to him that several medical supplies that were not found in the civic hospital were often sold by people right outside the hospital behind R Mall on LBS Road. He had also written a letter to the BMC commissioner apprising him about the matter.

On Tuesday, the MLA sent his team to the hospital to verify the claims and found the accused Krishna Kale outside the building, housing the orthopaedic ward, selling plasters, orthopaedic belts and other such material. The accused was handed over to the Mulund police.

Kotecha said, “Such blatant misuse of civic property cannot happen without help from within. I would appeal to the police to ensure that the BMC officers from the health department, who were helping the accused are also meted with punishment.”

The complaint was filed by the hospital’s medical superintendent Dr Gurunath Bargale. In his statement, Bargale said, “The material found in Kale’s possession had stamps that said ‘FOR MCGM USE ONLY’. This proves that the material was part of the stock obtained by the BMC and was being sold in an unauthorised manner.”

Senior inspector Kantilal Kothimbre said the accused have been booked under sections 406 (criminal breach of trust), 409 (criminal breach of trust by public servant) and 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code. Further investigation into the matter to find out Kale’s accomplices within the civic body is underway, he added.