Mumbai | Covid-19 Jumbo centre scam: Sujit Patkar granted bail in EOW case

“In the case at hand, the accused has been in jail since August 2023. Thus, in the present matter, the accused has been in jail for around six months. Investigation in the matter is completed. Chargesheet came to be filed against present accused as well as other accused persons. Trial of the accused has not yet commenced. It may take some time…Thus there is no possibility of conclusion of trial in the recent future,” the court said. The court also noted that Patkar’s co-accused, including co-partners of Lifeline Hospital Management Services, which is alleged to have been given contracts to run the Jumbo Covid centres in 2020 without following procedure, were not arrested in the case by the police. They were granted bail when they appeared before the court after summons were issued.

“Thus, five accused having similar roles to that of the present accused are already on bail. Therefore, on the ground of parity, the present accused is entitled for grant of bail,” the court said. It directed Patkar to be released on a bond of Rs 1 lakh along with other conditions. The Mumbai Police’s Economic Offences Wing (EOW) had claimed that Patkar and the other accused had conspired and prepared false attendance sheets showing that manpower was provided to the jumbo centres, even though fewer persons were allotted duty.