Covid body bags 'scam': Ex-Mumbai mayor appears before EOW

Former Mumbai mayor Kishori Pednekar was on Monday questioned for two hours by the Mumbai Police's Economic Offence Wing (EOW) in connection with an alleged scam in the purchase of body bags for COVID-19 victims, an official said.

This is the first occasion wherein Pednekar was quizzed by the police after a first information report (FIR) was registered against her and two others, the official said.

Pednekar reached the EOW office here at around 11 am and left at around 1 pm.

The EOW had registered a case against Pednekar, who belongs to Shiv Sena (UBT), and two senior officials of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) under various Indian Penal Code sections including 420 (cheating) and 120 (B) (criminal conspiracy), based on a complaint filed by Bharatiya Janata Party leader Kirit Somaiya.

It was alleged that there was a misappropriation of funds and irregularities in the management of health facilities and the purchase of body bags for deceased coronavirus patients, masks and other items by the BMC during the pandemic.

Pednekar was Mumbai mayor from November 2019 till March 2022, when the term of the BMC's general body ended.

Fresh civic elections are yet to be held.

On September 6, the Bombay high court granted interim protection from arrest for four weeks to Pednekar, noting the case probe was on and at this stage custodial interrogation was not warranted.

The HC had directed Pednekar to cooperate with the probe in the case and appear before the city police's Economic Offences Wing (EOW) on September 11, 13 and 16 for questioning.