On Thursday, Kishori Pednekar, a leader of Shiv Sena (UBT) and former Mayor of Mumbai, presented herself before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) as part of the money laundering probe related to the Covid-19 body bag scam. The ED sought to question Pednekar regarding her alleged involvement in irregularities surrounding the procurement of body bags for deceased Covid-19 patients, a situation that occurred during her tenure as Mumbai’s mayor.
The ED’s money laundering case originates from a criminal complaint filed by the Mumbai Police’s Economic Offences Wing (EOW). In an FIR filed on August 4, the EOW named Pednekar, a former additional municipal commissioner (projects), a former deputy municipal commissioner (purchase/CPD), private contractor Vedanta Innotech Pvt Ltd (VIPL), and other unidentified government officials in connection with the alleged scam. The estimated amount involved in the purported fraud is around Rs 49.63 lakh.
According to an earlier ED inquiry, the scrutinized private company allegedly supplied body bags to the BMC for deceased Covid-19 patients at Rs 6,719 each, more than three times the amount charged to other private hospitals or government authorities (Rs 1,500 per piece) during the same period.
Pednekar and other senior civic officials were charged under Sections 409 (criminal breach of trust by a public servant or by a banker, merchant, or agent), 420 (cheating), and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code. The EOW initiated the case following a complaint by former BJP MP Kirit Somaiya on July 18, alleging irregularities in BMC’s expenditures during the pandemic.
The EOW’s FIR alleges that the accused conspired to favor M/s Vedanta Innotech Pvt Ltd (VIPL) and its directors, defrauding the BMC. The accused are accused of committing criminal breach of trust involving public money amounting to Rs 49,63,200.
Pednekar had previously been interrogated by the EOW in connection with the case. Additionally, the ED had previously questioned IAS officer and Additional Municipal Commissioner (projects) P Velarasu for over six hours in the same case earlier this month.
Velarasu, responsible for the central purchase department (CPD) overseeing Covid-related purchases during the pandemic outbreak, was subject to ED inquiry due to his role in the matter.
