Mumbai Police's SIT probing 'irregularities' in civic body visits BMC headquarters, examines documents

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The Mumbai Police's Special Investigation Team (SIT) investigating alleged irregularities amounting to Rs 12,024 crore in projects undertaken by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) visited the BMC headquarters on Monday. During their visit, the SIT met with senior officials and examined relevant documents pertaining to the case. The SIT was formed in response to the findings of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG), which had highlighted the alleged irregularities in BMC's projects.

As part of their investigation, the SIT is also in the process of collecting documents related to tenders awarded by the civic body. The formation of the SIT was approved by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde last month. The SIT, headed by Mumbai Police Commissioner Vivek Phansalkar, includes the joint commissioner of police (Economic Offenses Wing), the deputy commissioner of police (Economic Offenses Wing), and other officers.

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The projects under scrutiny were carried out by the BMC between November 2019 and June 2022, a period that coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic and the tenure of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in Maharashtra. BJP MLA from Mumbai, Amit Satam, had written a letter to Chief Minister Shinde, alleging irregularities in various COVID-19-related projects following the submission of the CAG's audit report. (With inputs from PTI)