COVID-19 jumbo centres 'scam': ED surveys Mumbai civic body's Central Purchase Dept

The Enforcement Directorate on Thursday conducted a survey at the Mumbai civic body's Central Purchase Department in connection with a probe into alleged irregularities in setting up of jumbo COVID treatment facilities in the metropolis, an official said.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's CPD is situated in Byculla in south Mumbai and the ED team went through documents related to tenders and contracts awarded to a firm related to Sujit Patkar and three partners, the official informed.

As part of the jumbo COVID centre probe, the ED had, on Wednesday, searched 15 places, including the residence of Patkar, who is considered a close friend of Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut.


The other sites that were searched included those connected to Indian Administrative Service officer Sanjeev Jaiswal and Shiv Sena (UBT) functionary Suraj Chavan, officials said.

The Mumbai Police had registered a forgery case against Lifeline Hospital Management Services firm, Patkar, and his three partners in August last year.

Based on the FIR at the Azad Maidan police station in south Mumbai, the ED registered a case to investigate the money laundering angle.