Covid-19 body bag scam: Court refuses pre-arrest bail to former Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar

On August 4, based on a complaint filed by BJP leader Kirit Somaiya, the EOW filed an FIR against Pednekar, a former additional municipal commissioner (projects) and a former deputy municipal commissioner (purchase/CPD), private contractor Vedant Innotech Pvt Ltd (VIPL) and other unknown government servants for the alleged fraud to the tune of Rs 49.63 lakh.

The private company under the scanner had allegedly supplied body bags for deceased Covid-19 patients to the BMC at Rs 6,719 a piece, which was over three times (Rs 1,500 per piece) what it had charged other private hospitals or government authorities during the same period, an earlier inquiry has reportedly revealed.

Pednekar and other senior civic officials were booked under Sections 409 (criminal breach of trust by a public servant or by a banker, merchant, or agent), 420 (cheating), and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code.

Pednekar, in her pre-arrest bail plea, claimed she was “falsely implicated” in the case and that the complaint against her is “politically motivated and made with an ulterior motive”. Pednekar claimed Somaiya is a “habitual complainant” having a history of targeting politicians from opposition parties.

The court held that it was “not a fit case” to grant relief and that it was not inclined to grant an anticipatory bail. Pednekar is likely to move the Bombay High Court against the sessions court order.