Covid body bag scam: Ex-Mumbai mayor Kishori Pednekar gets oral assurance of no action till Wednesday

When Pednekar’s plea came up for hearing before a single-judge bench of Justice N J Jamadar on Monday, her lawyer sought that the matter be heard later in the day as the arguing counsel, Sudeep Pasbola, was not available.

However, advocate R M Pethe, for the state government, said the plea could be heard on Wednesday. On instructions from the investigation officer, Pethe orally submitted that the Economic Offences Wing, which registered the FIR in the case, would “hold its hand” till Wednesday and not take any action against Pednekar. The bench then adjourned the matter.

It was on August 4, based on a complaint filed by BJP leader Kirit Somaiya, that the EOW registered an FIR against Pednekar, a former additional municipal commissioner (projects) and a former deputy municipal commissioner (purchase/CPD), private contractor Vedant Innotech and unknown government servants for the alleged fraud of Rs 49. 63 lakh.

Vedant Innotech had allegedly supplied body bags to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation at Rs 6,719 apiece, over three times (Rs 1,500 apiece) more than what it had charged other government authorities or private hospitals during the same period.

Pednekar and the 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.

In her plea, Pednekar said she was falsely implicated in the case. “The complaint against the applicant is tainted with mala fides, politically motivated, and made with an ulterior motive. Baseless, and frivolous allegation is made against the applicant only in order to implicate her in a serious offence,” the plea said.

Pednekar also said the complaint against her had political overtones as it was lodged only after the split in the Shiv Sena.  Pending the hearing of her plea, Pednekar sought interim protection from arrest. The court will hear it next on Wednesday.