New twist in Lilavati Hospital fraud: 'Urns filled with human remains, rice discovered'

The charitable trust that runs Mumbai's well-known Lilavati Hospital alleged that funds were misappropriated

The trustees of Mumbai's Lilavati Hospital claimed that the authorities have found some evidence of black magic on the hospital premises. According to reports, the trustees found eight urns containing bones and human hair under the office of the current trustees.

Former Mumbai Police Commissioner Parambir Singh, who is currently executive director at Lilavati Hospital, told Firstpost that some former trust employees indicated that black magic rituals had been performed in the office where Prashant Mehta, the permanent trustee, and his mother, Charu Mehta, sit.

“Eight pots/urns (kalash) filled with human remains, rice, human hair, and other black magic material were found buried when the office floor was dug up,” the former police commissioner said.

The charitable trust that runs Mumbai's well-known Lilavati Hospital on Tuesday alleged that funds to the tune of over Rs 1,000 crore were misappropriated by its former trustees and other related individuals, according to PTI.

The Lilavati Kirtilal Mehta Medical Trust (LKMMT) has lodged separate complaints with the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and at the Bandra Police Station in this regard.

The complaints allege the misappropriation, uncovered during a forensic audit of Lilavati Hospital's financial records, has impacted the trust's operations and healthcare services provided by the leading private medical facility located in the upscale Bandra area. "We filed complaints which translated into FIRs due to the orders of the Bandra Magistrate Court. More than three FIRs have been filed against the former trustees and other related individuals. A fourth proceeding against these individuals is now pending before the Learned Magistrate which is based on our complaint filed in the Bandra Police Station for black magic and occult practices," LKMMT Permanent Resident Trustee Prashant Mehta told PTI.

The Bandra Magistrate Court has ordered an inquiry against these very individuals, he added. "We are committed to upholding the integrity of the Lilavati Kirtilal Mehta Medical Trust and ensuring that funds meant for healthcare services are used solely for the benefit of patients who rely on us daily.

He said LKMMT will ensure that every individual involved in these illegal activities is held accountable. "We request the Enforcement Directorate to take swift and decisive action in investigating these financial crimes under the provisions of the PMLA (Prevention of Money Laundering Act)," he said.

After receiving control of the trust after a long legal battle, the present trustees allegedly identified large-scale irregularities in the affairs of the hospital management body by their predecessors and decided to conduct a forensic audit. Chetan Dalal Investigation and Management Services (CDIMS), and ADB and Associates were appointed as forensic auditors.

The auditors found large-scale irregularities, manipulation, siphoning of funds in the affairs of LKMMT by its erstwhile trustees, Mehta claimed. "We undertook audits and the forensic auditors have come up with more than five reports, which clearly states that more than Rs 1,500 crore has been siphoned and misappropriated by this illegal group of trustees. This money has been siphoned off by former trustees most of whom are NRIs and residents of Dubai and Belgium," he told PTI.

On the basis of the findings of the forensic audit, the current trustee filed three complaints at the Bandra Police Station alleging forgery and misappropriation of funds. After registration of FIRs, the case was transferred to the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) which is carrying out an investigation.

Further, the third FIR at the Bandra Police Station alleged that Rs 1,200 crore was misappropriated by indulging into illegalities with third-party distributors in respect of procurements for the hospital.

In addition to these FIRs, Mehta said another case is under investigation in Gujarat in respect to theft of valuables from Lilavati Hospital's facility in the adjoining state.

(With PTI inputs)