Mumbai: Mumbai Police’s Economic Offences Wing Takes Custody Of Sujit Patkar In Connection With Corona Centre Embezzlement Case

Mumbai, 18th August 2023: After initially being sent to judicial custody, on Thursday, the Mumbai Police’s Economic Offences Wing took custody of Sujit Patkar (46) in connection with the Corona Centre embezzlement case. Patkar, considered close to Shivsena UBT faction MP Sanjay Raut, was arrested last month by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which was investigating the Corona Centre embezzlement case.

The arrest of Patkar comes on the heels of a complaint lodged by BJP leader Kirit Somaiya. Last year, Somaiya registered a case against Lifeline Hospital Management Company and its partners with the Azad Maidan Police. Patkar, who was a partner in this hospital, was then arrested by the police over allegations of embezzlement relating to the contract awarded for medical staff provision at NSCI Worli and Dahisar.

After being taken into custody, the case on October 2022, was transferred to the Economic Offences Branch, which then arrested two accused, Rajiv alias Raju Nandkumar Salunkhe (48) and Sunil alias Bala Ramchandra Kadam (58). A detailed charge sheet has been filed against the accused by the police, accusing that Mumbai Municipal Corporation had paid Rs 31 crore 84 lakh for the contract to Lifeline Hospital Management Company.

ED, in its complaint, further accused the company of forgery by submitting false documents and an attendance sheet while getting the contract. According to the complaint, it is accused that even though 50 to 60 percent of the medical staff at the Corona centres were working, the number of medical staff was exhorbitantly increased by the company afterwards, and thus, by getting more money, submitting fake documents. It is alleged that all this was done at the behest of Sujit Patkar.

Patkar, who is the main culprit behind this case, purportedly got the contract due to its allegiance to Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut. It is said that Patkar established a dummy company with a marginal investment of Rs. 12,500. ED’s investigation revealed that the large amount received from this malpractice was deposited in Patkar’s foreign bank account.