Trust managing Lilavati Hospital says Rs 1,500crore misappropriated by ex-trustees; FIRs filed
Mumbai, Mar 11 (PTI): The charitable trust that runs Mumbai's well-known Lilavati Hospital on Tuesday alleged that funds to the tune of over Rs 1,500 crore were misappropriated by its former trustees and other related individuals.
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. It has also claimed black magic was performed in the hospital premises by erstwhile trustees and related individuals.
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 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 reporters.
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.
"The gross misconduct and financial misappropriation uncovered during forensic audit is not just a betrayal of the trust placed in the alleged and fraudulent former trustees, but a direct threat to the very mission of our hospital," Mehta maintained.
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 stated.
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 alleged.
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.
Speaking about black magic rituals performed in the hospital premises, he said "We have discovered more than seven urns with human hair and skulls."
Meanwhile, the Mumbai police's EOW has initiated a probe into an alleged cheating case of Rs 85 crore registered against three former trustees of the hospital, officials said on Tuesday.
The case, registered at the Bandra Police Station on December 30 last year on a complaint of the LKMMT, had been transferred to the EOW on orders of the magistrate's court, an official said.
The complaint was filed by one of the current trustees of the hospital after he found that between 2002 and 2023, the accused 'purported trustees' seized control of the trust by allegedly using fake documents, he said.
They unlawfully utilized Rs 85 crore for advocate fees for personal cases under the pretext of purchasing medical equipment and for personal expenses, the official said.
Based on the complaint, a case related to cheating and criminal breach of trust was registered at the Bandra Police Station, he said.
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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
