Mumbai Police register FIR against 4 persons, firm for submitting fake documents to get COVID-19 centre contracts

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The Mumbai Police registered an FIR on Wednesday against a hospital management firm and four persons for allegedly submitting fake documents to obtain contracts of COVID-19 care centres, an official said.

The FIR were registered at the Azad Maidan police station based on a complaint by former BJP MP Kirit Somaiya, the official said.

The case was registered against M/s Lifeline Hospital Management Service Firm, Dr Hemant Ramsharan Gupta, Sujit Mukund Patkar, Sanjay Madanlal Shah and Raju Nandkumar Salunkhe.

In his complaint, Somaiya alleged that these persons cheated the Mumbai civic body and people to obtain contracts of COVID-19 centres with the help of fake documents.

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As per the FIR, in June 2020, the hospital management firm partners submitted an alleged fake partnership deed to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and obtained contracts of jumbo COVID-19 centres at NSEL, Worli, Mulund, Dahisar (in Mumbai) and Pune without having any experience in the medical field.

The firm had submitted bills of these centres to the BMC and collected Rs 38 crore, it said.

For their personal gains, these persons cheated the government machinery and common citizens. Many people lost their lives due to the alleged negligence of these persons, the FIR said.

After verification it was found that staffers and doctors at these COVID-19 centres did not have medical certificates and allegedly failed to provide proper treatment due to which people suffered, the FIR said.

The case was registered under Indian Penal Code Sections 420 (cheating), 406 (criminal breach of trust), 304-A (causing death by negligence), 465, 467, 468, 471 (all for forgery) and 34 (common intention), the official said, adding that a probe into the case is on.

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