The ED, which is probing the money trail in the field hospital case, had recently arrested Sujit Patkar, a close aide of Sena UBT member of Parliament Sanjay Raut, and Dr Kishor Bisure, dean of the Covid field hospital.
The probe agency, which is investigating proceeds of the crime generated from the Covid field hospital ‘fraud’, has recorded statements of suspects and accused persons in the case, including BMC employees.
During interrogation, the person confessed that he had received Rs 25 lakh bribe from Patkar and his associates, all of which, he said, was blown up on dance bars, said the ED sources.
Patkar, with three partners, had formed a firm ‘Lifeline Hospital Management Services’ in 2020 and got the contract to manage the field hospital at Dahisar for Covid positive patients. The accused allegedly supplied less than half the required number of healthcare workers at the field hospital, but submitted inflated bills to BMC, which cleared Rs 32 crore worth of bills for the field hospital of which only Rs 8 crore was used for actual work and the rest diverted for other purposes. Patkar, a key accused in the case, received a substantial amount of the cheated money, said sources.
The central agency said he directed staff of his firm to manipulate attendance sheets at jumbo Covid centres and fraudulently billed BMC. Patkar allegedly committed the fraud with “fake” attendance sheets in connivance with Dr Bisure and other BMC Officials, it has been alleged.
Part of the money was withdrawn through shell companies and was used to bribe BMC officials who assisted in the fraud. One of Patkar’s partners had allegedly bought gold coins to be gifted to BMC officials who were not directly involved in field hospital work, to ensure that they would not object to their activities. A small amount was allegedly also given as token to a local political who inaugurated the field hospital, ED has found.
It is alleged that the accused had mostly collected their share of the crime proceeds in cash that was withdrawn from shell companies. Dr Bisure also allegedly received money in hard cash and in account of his driver.
