BMC’s Jumbo Covid Centre scam: under dynastic patronage, a raid on the treasury even during the pandemic!

For more than two decades, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) remained under the control of the Thackeray family. Under this power-centric system, a series of corruption scandals within the BMC have gradually come to light, a reality now being corroborated through investigations conducted by various probe agencies. One of the most serious and sensitive among these cases is the Jumbo Covid Centre scam. At a time when patients in Mumbai were desperately struggling for ICU beds and oxygen during the Covid period, allegations emerged of massive financial misuse amounting to crores of rupees from the BMC’s treasury. The name that has surfaced as the key architect of this scam is Sujit Patkar, a close associate of Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray faction) MP Sanjay Raut. This fact makes it clear that the issue is not merely one of administrative negligence, but rather serves as evidence of how the BMC was allegedly converted into an “ATM” through contracts awarded to individuals close to the ruling dynasty. The Pandemic and the Need for Jumbo Covid Centres In 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic brought Mumbai to its knees. Beds were unavailable in both government and private hospitals. Against this backdrop, the BMC decided to establish large-capacity Jumbo Covid Centres in Dahisar and Worli. These centres were expected to provide treatment to thousands of patients. However, instead of managing them directly, the BMC handed over their operations to a private entity—Lifeline Hospital Management Services. At that time, Maharashtra was governed by the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance, Uddhav Thackeray was the Chief Minister, and the Shiv Sena held political dominance over the BMC. Questions Over Contract Allocation According to investigative agencies, serious questions arise as to whether Lifeline Hospital Management Services was subjected to proper scrutiny regarding its qualifications, manpower, and experience before being awarded the contract. This is because the reality that emerged after operations began was in direct violation of the contractual terms. Furthermore, since the company’s head, Sujit Patkar, is a close associate of influential ruling-party leader Sanjay Raut, investigations are also probing whether political interference played a role in the awarding of the contract. Shocking Exposure of Fake Records Investigations by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Mumbai Police’s Economic Offences Wing uncovered several alarming facts. At the Jumbo Covid Centres, the required number of doctors, nurses, and medical staff were not actually deployed, yet records falsely showed full staffing. Fake attendance sheets were prepared, and salaries and service charges were claimed in the names of so-called “ghost employees.” It was also revealed that bills for the Worli Jumbo Covid Centre were approved by the BMC without submitting any verifiable staff details. In effect, payments amounting to crores were released solely on the basis of paperwork, without any on-ground verification. ₹32 Crore Trail and Diversion of Funds According to the ED, between September 2020 and June 2022, Lifeline Hospital Management Services received approximately ₹32.44 crore from the BMC. This amount was sanctioned for managing the Jumbo Covid Centres. However, investigations revealed that these funds were diverted for purchasing personal assets, repaying loans, and engaging in real estate transactions. In other words, money meant for the treatment of Covid patients was allegedly used for private gain. Who Is Accountable Within the BMC? This scam does not implicate only the private company; several BMC officials have also come under suspicion. How were bills approved despite fake documents, false attendance records, and incomplete services? This remains a crucial question. In this case, Dr. Kishor Bisure, the then dean of the Dahisar Jumbo Covid Centre, was arrested in July 2023 and granted bail in February 2025. Several BMC officials have been accused of approving fraudulent records. The case began with an FIR filed by the Mumbai Police, after which the ED registered a money-laundering case and intensified the investigation. The Jumbo Covid Centre scam stands as a stark example of how the BMC allegedly functioned as an “ATM” during the era of dynastic rule. During the Covid period, Mumbaikars endured immense suffering. Many lost their loved ones. If the healthcare system was misused during such a crisis, it is not merely a financial crime—it is a profound betrayal of public trust. The matter is currently under judicial consideration, and the final verdict will be delivered by the courts. However, one fact has become unmistakably clear: when the country’s richest municipal corporation becomes entangled in dynastic politics, political proximity, and a contract-driven culture, the cost is ultimately borne by ordinary citizens. In the backdrop of the upcoming BMC elections, this scam is no longer just a news story—it has become a question about the future of Mumbai’s governance. It has exposed a deeply rooted culture of dynastic corruption. But Mumbaikars will no longer tolerate this—because it must be remembered: Mumbai is not the private estate of any single family. BMC is not a family business #notafamilybusiness