Covid jumbo centre scam: EOW books contractor close to Aditya Thackeray, BMC officials for Rs 37 crore fraud

BJP leader Kirit Somaiya, who earlier raised the matter of fraud in jumbo centres, has claimed that Gomes is a close friend of Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray.

A senior EOW officer confirmed the development to The Indian Express and said that the FIR was first registered at the Tardeo police station and later transferred to the EOW.

“It has been alleged that between October 2020 and August 2022, while taking amounts as rent for these jumbo centres the accused contractor with a fraudulent intention allegedly submitted false information and bills to the BMC. The contractor in connivance and conspiracy with the BMC officers and the vendors got these false and (inflated) bills cleared and made wrongful gains worth Rs 37 crore. Thus, defrauding the government,” the complainant, Shilpa Thenge, Assistant Inspector, EOW, said in the FIR.

The EOW has registered a case under sections 406 (criminal breach of trust), 409 (criminal breach of trust by a public servant, banker, merchant, or agent), 420 (cheating), and 120 B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

According to a source, the EOW may soon summon the contractor, vendors, and the concerned BMC officers for questioning.

Oaks Management Consultancy Pvt Ltd of Rahul Gomes had provided beds, fans, tents and other facilities at Covid fields hospitals in Dahisar, Worli, MMRDA, Mulund, and BKC part-2.

After setting up the jumbo centres in Dahisar and Mulund, Oaks Management Consultancy Pvt Ltd handed them over to the BMC and allegedly obtained inflated rents from the civic body.

The Enforcement Directorate had in July 2023 also raided premises linked to Gomes. The ED may soon register an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) and probe the money laundering aspect of the case.