Sujit Patker, Partner of M/s Lifeline Hospital Management Service, and Dr Kishore Bisure, Ex-Dean from BMC for Dahisar Jumbo Covid Centre, were both taken into custody by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) in Mumbai on July 19, 2023, for alleged money laundering violations under the PMLA 2002.
The Azad Maidan Police Station in Mumbai filed an FIR, and the ED has opened an inquiry against M/s Lifeline Hospital Management Service, its partners, and other parties. According to the investigation done so far under the PMLA, Partners of M/s Lifeline Hospital Management Service were able to secure contracts from the BMC Authorities for the supply of manpower at the Dahisar and Worli Jumbo Covid Centres by submitting forged documents, and they were also able to receive payments totalling Rs. 31.84 Crore by submitting additional fake and fabricated bills.
Investigations found that employees of M/s Lifeline Hospital Management Services were utilising names of doctors and personnel on invoices who were not employed at the relevant COVID Centres on the orders of the accused Sujit Patker and other partners. According to preliminary research, the actual deployment of physicians and other medical staff fell between 50% and 60% short of what was represented in BMC billings produced in accordance with the EOI’s specifications. correspondence with these doctors and other medical personnel also supported this.
BMC officials assigned to these Covid-Centres were discovered to be complicit in such unlawful activities. Additionally, it has come to light that partners and employees of M/s Lifeline Hospital Management Services gave them cash and valuables. Accused Dr. Kishore Bisure, the Dean did not ensure the centre had the necessary number of medical personnel on staff; instead, he permitted or approved the fabrication of bills that claimed to be for the necessary deployment of medical personnel based on fictitious attendance records provided by M/s Lifeline Hospital Management Services.
In the current case, the ED previously carried out search operations on the following dates: 21.06.2023, 22.06.2023, 03.07.2023, 05.07.2023 and 07.07.2023 at various properties of interested persons/entities, which led to the recovery of cash, gold, and other incriminating documents. Sujit Patker and Dr Kishore Bisure were recently detained by the ED on July 19, 2023, and brought before the Hon’ble Special Court in Mumbai. The court ordered that they remain in ED custody for eight days and be brought back on July 27, 2023. The probe is being expanded upon.
