Mumbai: The special court for Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) has refused bail to businessman Sujit Patkar, booked for money laundering in connection with the alleged irregularities in the Covid jumbo centres case. The court noted that Patkar was the decision maker and “played with lives when it was the need of hour to step forward to save them”.
Special judge Ajay Daga observed that Patkar, with his partners, entered into “a criminal conspiracy… under-deploying doctors and staff, with the only intention to cheat the BMC and generate proceeds of crime through fake bills and vouchers”.
Referring to Patkar’s role, the court said, “It appears that the accused was involved in the commission of the said offence since the formation of the firm and took part in all the decisions, including liaising with BMC officials, creation of fake attendance sheets, bills, vouchers… trying to show them as untainted amount.”
The court did not accept long incarceration as the defence, observing that an opportunity must be given to start trial and complete it. “In case there is no progress within the next six to eight months, the applicant will be entitled to apply again for the bail,” the court said.
As per the prosecution, from June 2020 to March 2022, partners of Lifeline Hospital Management Services Limited – Hemant Gupta, Sujit Patkar, Sanjay Shah and Raju Salunkhe – faked experience in the field and submitted forged partnership deed with the BMC to get the tender to provide medical facilities to jumbo Covid centres. The accused allegedly defrauded the BMC of Rs38 crore, with Rs2.81 crore from proceeds of crime allegedly diverted to the personal bank account of Patkar.
