The raids were in connection with alleged irregularities in supplying medical kits to Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation Covid care centres.
Published Jun 22, 2023 | 5:28 AM ⚊ Updated Jun 22, 2023 | 7:31 AM
The Enforcement Directorate conducted raids at several corporate hospitals and medical colleges in Telangana. (Creative Commons)
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) in Hyderabad on Wednesday, 21 June, carried out raids in over half a dozen corporate hospitals and private medical colleges in Telangana in connection with irregularities allegedly committed while supplying medical kits to Covid-19 care centres in Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
Prathima Medical College, SVS Medical and Research Centre, and the Kamineni Group were among the half a dozen hospitals and colleges that the ED officials conducted simultaneous raids on.
These raids were part of the searches carried out on the premises belonging to various officials of BMC in Maharashtra, it is learnt.
Apart from half a dozen places in Hyderabad and its suburbs, the ED has also conducted simultaneous raids at 15 places in Mumbai and seized crucial documents. Raids were also carried out at the house of a senior official, who earlier worked in the BMC.
There were allegations that the contracts awarded by the BMC for the medical kits were obtained by submitting forged documents.
Following allegations that large-scale financial transactions took place while awarding the contracts, the ED started probing money laundering charges and the role of corporate hospitals and private medical colleges in Telangana in the case.
Sources said that another reason for the ED raids on private medical colleges, including one belonging to a BRS minister, was alleged violations in selling seats under management quota after blocking them.
The Warangal police first registered a case based on a complaint lodged by Kaloji University. Then, the ED intervened and started probing money-laundering charges.
The colleges blocked some seats under management quota and allegedly sold them in violation of norms.
For providing medical kits to care centres within the BMC limits, the Maharashtra government spent crores to provide better medical facilities and medicines to those affected by Covid-19 during the pandemic. When they discovered that irregularities took place in awarding the contracts, the Mumbai police registered a case.
The ED then started investigating on money laundering charges. It already questioned BMC Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal in January 2023 for allegedly committing irregularities while giving contracts for the setting up of Covid care centres.
The ED grilled Chahal for awarding a contract to a hospital management service firm in which Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut’s close associate Sujit Patkar was a partner.
