Mumbai: Firm running Covid centre booked for fraud

Mumbai: A case has been registered on Thursday at the Marine Lines police station against a healthcare company for allegedly using forged documents to obtain a BMC tender for running a Covid center.

Case registered against two men under fraud and forgery charges

According to the police,the complaint was registered at around 3.30 pm against Internal Health Care Management. The suspects named in the first information report (FIR) are Sandeep Gupta and Yogesh Ulle.

A case has been registered against the duo under the Indian Penal Code sections 467, 468 and 471 which relate to fraud and forgery.

Similar case reported earlier

Earlier on Jan 13, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) initiated an enquiry into the case wherein in August last year, Mumbai Police had registered an FIR against a hospital management firm and four persons for allegedly submitting fake documents to obtain contracts for COVID-19 care centres.

ED sends communication to BMC

The agency officials have reportedly sent a communication to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) seeking details related to the case, sources claimed on Friday. The ED officials are likely to make enquiries with some senior BMC officials on Monday, sources said.

Last year's FIR by Mumbai Police

The FIR was registered at the Azad Maidan police station based on a complaint by a BJP leader.

The case was registered against M/s Lifeline Hospital Management Service Firm, Dr Hemant Ramsharan Gupta, Sujit Mukund Patkar, Sanjay Madanlal Shah and Raju Nandkumar Salunkhe.

In his complaint, the complainant had alleged that these persons cheated the Mumbai civic body and people to obtain contracts from COVID-19 centres with the help of fake documents.

As per the FIR, in June 2020, the hospital management firm partners submitted an alleged fake partnership deed to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and obtained contracts for jumbo COVID-19 centres at NSEL, Worli, Mulund, Dahisar (in Mumbai) and Pune without having any experience in the medical field.

The firm had submitted bills of these centres to the BMC and collected Rs 38 crore, it said.

For their personal gains, these persons cheated the government machinery and common citizens. Many people lost their lives due to the alleged negligence of these persons, the FIR said.

Fraud found after investigation

After verification it was found that staffers and doctors at these COVID-19 centres did not have medical certificates and allegedly failed to provide proper treatment due to which people suffered, the FIR said.

The case was registered under Indian Penal Code Sections 420 (cheating), 406 (criminal breach of trust), 304-A (causing death by negligence), 465, 467, 468, 471 (all for forgery) and 34 (common intention), the official said, adding that a probe into the case is on.