ED grills ex-Mumbai mayor Kishori Pednekar for six hours in 'COVID body bag scam'

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) questioned former Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar for six hours on Thursday in connection with an alleged scam involving the purchase of body bags by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Kishori Pednekar arrived at the ED office around 12:15 pm and left at 6 p.m. She was initially summoned in the case on November 8 but sought an extension through her lawyer. Subsequently, she was summoned again on November 11 to appear for questioning on November 23. Pednekar denied the allegations during the ED probe, stating that she has not issued any orders in the case. On August 4, the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Mumbai Police registered a case related to the purchase of body bags during the Covid-19 pandemic from a private company.

About The Body Bag Scam

The ED’s money laundering case is based on a criminal case filed by the Mumbai police’s Economic Offences Wing (EOW) against ex-mayor and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Kishori Pednekar. Pednekar held the position of mayor from November 2019 to March 2022. Apart from Pednekar former additional municipal commissioner (Projects) and a former deputy municipal commissioner (purchase/CPD), and private contractor Vedanta Innotech PVT, and unknown other government servants are named in the alleged scam involving the purchase of body bags at inflated rates during the Covid-19 pandemic.