Covid body bag 'scam': Ex-Mumbai mayor Kishori Pednekar appears before the ED for questioning

Former Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar appears before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the Covid body bag scam case, in Mumbai on Tuesday. Pic/PTI

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and former Mumbai mayor, Kishori Pednekar, on Tuesday appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) after the ED summons in the on-going money-laundering inquiry into a body bag purchase scam. The alleged scam pertains to the purchase of body bags by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) during the COVID-19 pandemic, when Pednekar was the mayor of Mumbai.

This is ED's second questioning to Pednekar in the case. Earlier in November last year, the former mayor was questioned the first time.

When Pednekar faced the ED in November last year, she had denied all the charges and any involvement in the 'influenced contract' of the body bag. She was questioned for her alleged role in instructing BMC officials to award the contract to the company, M/s Vedanta Innotech Pvt Ltd, and her alleged involvement in raising the cost of body bags in BMC's procurement, when the city was badly hit due the Covid-19 pandemic.

The ED's case against Pednekar is based on a case registered by the Mumbai police's Economic Offences Wing on a complaint filed by former BJP MP Kirit Somaiya. In July last year, Somaiya had lodged complaint alleging irregularities in the BMC's expenditure during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut's brother Sandeep Raut also appeared before the ED in connection with the Khichdi Covid scam case on Tuesday.

Reaching at the ED's office for questioning, Sandeep Raut, on Tuesday called the case baseless and 'politically motivated'. Speaking to media persons outside the ED office, Sandeep Raut said, "The allegations against me are baseless and wrong. The ED called me here for interrogation and I will answer whatever questions the agency asks. The whole case is politically driven, nothing else", news agency ANI reported.

"Some 5-6 lakh transactions were recorded in my account in the matter. This is not an ED case. The matter pertains to the Covid period. I fed khichdi to many poor people during that time but I am still being made an accused. The whole case is politicised. I am not afraid because I haven't done anything wrong," he added.

(With ANI Inputs)