P Velrasu, 2002 batch IAS of Maharashtra cadre, who is serving as Additional Municipal Commissioner (projects) in Greater Mumbai Municipal Corporation is in a trouble. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) questioned the IAS officer for more than six hours in connection with the money laundering in alleged irregularities involved in purchasing of body bags for deceased Covid -19 patients.
The ED has also summoned former Mumbai mayor and Sena leader Kishori Pednekar, asking her to remain present before the ED today. Pednekar was Mumbai's mayor when the alleged embezzlement occurred.
What is the case ?
The case pertains to purchasing of body bags in government hospitals for patients died during Covid-19. The Economic Offences (EOW) wing of Mumbai Police, on August 4, had registered a case against Pednekar, a former additional municipal commissioner (projects) and a former deputy municipal commissioner (purchase/CPD), private contractor Vedanta Innotech Pvt Ltd (VIPL), and other unknown government servants over the alleged scam.
According to sources, Vedanta Innotech was given contract to supply body bags to BMC for deceased Covid patients. The firm sold each body bag Rs 6,719, which was more than four times the rate at which the same firm was supplying to private hospitals or government authorities in the same period. The BMC had purchased 1200 body bags.
“The alleged fraud involving purchase of body bags at inflated rates during the pandemic has been estimated at Rs 49.63 lakh,”an official said.
The BuckStopper, run by a group of seasoned journalists, holds the powerful accountable. The buck stops with them, as they cannot shrug off their official responsibilities.
%20in%20Greater%20Mumbai%20Municipal%20Corporation%20is%20in%20a%20trouble.%20The%20Enforcement%20Directorate%20questioned%20the%20IAS%20officer%20for%20more%20than%20six%20hours%20in%20connection%20with%20the%20money%20laundering%20in%20alleged%20irregularities%20involved%20in%20purchasing%20of%20body%20bags%20for%20deceased%20Covid%20-19%20patients.){kind=link}