The investigation into the COVID-19 scam related to the Mumbai Municipal Corporation is facing delays, despite the initial plan to take quick action within three months. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s patience has resulted in the proceedings being prolonged.
Based on a complaint filed last year, there is a growing belief that Aditya Thackeray may be implicated in the investigation, as Suraj Chavan, who is currently being scrutinized, was known to have a close association with him During a recent raid by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Suraj Chavan, linked to Shiv Sena’s control over the Mumbai Municipal Corporation for 24 years, was found in possession of crores of rupees. The ED received a complaint regarding the pricing of body bags, raising questions about the determinants of the price, the intended recipients, the supply chain, and the inflated pricing of personal protective equipment (PPE) kits.
The investigation aims to uncover corruption in the procurement of body bags, ensuring proper specifications and pricing. It has been revealed that the daily procurement of 5,000 PPE kits bypassed a transparent tender process. Furthermore, Remdesivir injections, which previously cost ₹600, were purchased for ₹1,568, indicating rampant black-market activities for these critical supplies.
In addition to the COVID-related purchase scam, the ED is scrutinizing temporary hospital scams established during the pandemic. Sujit Patkar, a close associate of Sanjay Raut, is under investigation in this regard.
Obtained documents suggest the involvement of the Municipal Commissioner in the tender process, evident from their signature on relevant documents.
The ED is determined to uncover the ultimate authority behind these actions. The Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, led by Uddhav Thackeray, was in power and overseeing the Municipal Corporation’s operations during this period. During the investigation, the ED conducted raids at the premises of around 16 individuals. Notably, during the raid at the residence of the former Additional Municipal Commissioner, Sanjeev Jaiswal, his wife disclosed that her father had transferred ownership of land on Mud Island, purchased in the 1990s, along with inherited land and jewellery, to a distressed mother through a will.
Meanwhile, the Home Department of the Maharashtra government has established a Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by the Chief of the Economic Offenses Wing of the Mumbai Police to further investigate the scams within the Municipal Corporation. The SIT is expected to submit its report before the upcoming BMC elections.
The Uddhav Thackeray faction believes these investigations are primarily aimed at tarnishing their reputation.
With the BMC elections approaching, along with pending elections for six other municipal corporations including Nagpur and Pune, political tensions in Maharashtra are expected to escalate due to the ongoing COVID-19 scam.
