Economic Offences Wing found that body bags priced Rs 1,500-2,000 were purchased at thrice the cost.
Mumbai
The Special Investigation Team of the Economic Offences Wing of Maharashtra Police, constituted by the government of Maharashtra to investigate the alleged Rs 4,000 crore Covid purchase scam, has registered a case of economic fraud in body bag purchase during Covid pandemic against former mayor Kishori Pednekar of Uddhav faction Shiv Sena and senior IAS officer and Additional commissioner of BMC P. Vellarasu, and a deputy municipal commissioner.
The Economic Offences Wing, investigating the alleged Covid scam, found that body bags which ranged from Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,000 were purchased at thrice the cost at Rs 6,500 per bag at the behest of Pednekar and Vellarasu, it has been alleged. Mumbai police has registered an offence against Pednekar, Vellarasu and Vedant Innotech.
Earlier on 22 June, the ED has raided 16 places in Mumbai in connection with the alleged Covid Centre scam in which Aditya Thackeray’s close aide and Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut’s close confidant Sujit Patkar figured. Later, Sujit Patkar was arrested in the case. A case is registered at the Agripada Police station and the matter is being investigated by Mumbai Police.