Mumbai: ED Launches PMLA Probe Into Khichdi Scam & Inflated Body Bag Procurement By BMC During Lockdown

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has registered two separate Enforcement Case Information Reports (ECIR) under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) to probe the financial misappropriation in the distribution of khichdi to migrant labourers during lockdown and procurement of body bags at highly inflated rates by the BMC. 

3rd probe

This will be the third probe into the civic COVID pandemic irregularities by the federal agency. 

The irregularities in the ₹6.37 crore khichdi scam against Shivsena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut's close aide Sujit Patkar, Sunil alias Bala Kadam, Sahyadri Refreshment's Rajiv Salunke, and others will be probed by the federal agency while the case against former mayor and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Kishori Pednekar, a former additional municipal commissioner (Projects) and a former deputy municipal commissioner (purchase/CPD), and private contractor involves purchase of body bags at inflated rates during the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Kishori Pednekar in the dock

Earlier the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Mumbai Police had registered a case regarding the khichdi scam and body bag scam. Kishori Pednekar was questioned by EoW for the third time this week on her role in awarding contracts to a private company, Vedant Innotech allegedly supplying body bags for deceased COVID-19 patients to the BMC at ₹6,719 per bag. This rate was over two times the quoted price of ₹2,925 per bag by Care One Solution for other private hospitals and government authorities during the same period.

Sujit Patkar named in the Khichdi scam was arrested by ED in July related to irregularities of ₹32 crores in the Jumbo Covid centre scam. 

The Enforcement Directorate had in June conducted raids at 15 locations in Mumbai in alleged ₹12,000-crore scam during COVID-19 by BMC.