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In the ongoing investigations of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) into the Covid-19 jumbo center scam, the central agency has also come across other egregious wrongdoings that allegedly occurred at the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) during the pandemic. The AML Agency has now expanded its investigation into BMC’s total expenditure of Rs 4,000 crore during Covid-19 and is closely scrutinizing purchases, deals, contract awards and other transactions during the pandemic, agency sources said on Friday.
Many high-ranking civilian officials, contractors, suppliers, and politically prominent people have become under the agency’s radar. The agency has gained access to the details of several suspicious deals and purchases and will now start contacting the relevant people for inquiries from next week.
Focus on 4-5 brokers
The ED identified 4-5 moderators who were instrumental in the majority of wrongdoing and had control over the majority of malpractice in BMC. “These middlemen were deciding which suppliers would get the contract and they were awarding contracts indirectly,” said an agency source. Sources said the agency was able to get its hands on WhatsApp conversations, dairy products and details of monetary transactions these middlemen allegedly conducted with suppliers, politicians and BMC officials.
It is alleged that the middlemen first made a deal with a supplier and later prepared the specifications appropriately to ensure that the same supplier qualified for the transaction and won the contract. The sources added that the brokers will reject other bidders who are not suitable for their business. Two brokers were covered in recent searches.
Suraj Chavan
Yuva Sena’s secretary, Suraj Chavan, who is close to Aditya Thackeray, is suspected of being one of the four psychics identified by the emergency departments. Chavan’s name as a medium has appeared in four to five straight decades. Monetary transactions associated with Chavan are subject to scrutiny. The four Chavan flats worth Rs 10 crore have been identified by the emergency department as being purchased during the pandemic.
ED sources claimed that when they were going through BMC’s records, they learned that BMC had received bids for body bags where the supplier was offering them to provide Rs 1,100 and Rs 2,610, but refusing these bids, BMC purchased body bags for approximately Rs 6,800 apiece from another supplier now subject to for the scanner.
Remdesivir bought at a higher price
ED investigation revealed that BMC purchased Remdesivir at Rs 4,100 despite knowing that another government body, Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER), was buying the same drug at Rs 3,200. When these irregularities came to light, a proposal was made to settle it. But the decision was rejected by BMC’s senior officers, including Municipal Commissioner Iqbal Chahal and additional commissioner rank officer, by claiming that there was no such clause to change once the matter was finalized. ED sources said that BMC officials could have easily avoided this loss of public funds. They could also coordinate with the DMER and place excess orders with them at the price they were buying and then collect later. A source from the emergency department said that such things did not happen.
ED officials found that besides overpurchasing body bags and medicine, there was also misappropriation of funds in BMC staff accommodations and board. During the pandemic, temporary rented accommodation and food were arranged for civil servants, doctors and nurses as no one was able to return to their homes due to restrictions on movement. Rents were paid to hotels and other accommodation owners for the period when movement restrictions were not in place and people could go home. Food was similarly paid for for the same period.
Jaiswal, Chavan summoned
Sanjeev Jaiswal and Suraj Chavan have been summoned by the IAS External Relations Department to appear before the agency on Monday and face investigation. Sources in the emergency department indicated that the agency might summon Iqbal Chahal again to join the investigations.
ED is currently investigating money laundering charges in Covid-19 jumbo center scam based on a case registered by Mumbai Police in August 2022 at Azad Maidan Police Station based on complaint from BJP leader Kirit Somaiya. In October 2022, the case was transferred to the Mumbai Police’s Economic Crimes Wing (EOW). Subsequently, the ED registered a PMLA case in this matter.
The case relates to field hospitals set up by the government in Mumbai during the Covid-19 pandemic. The BMC has been taking care of provision of health care staff and other facilities on a contract basis. The BJP alleged that contracts were awarded at exorbitant prices to contractors associated with the Shiv Sena leaders, despite the fact that they had no previous experience in healthcare services.
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