Probe PM CARES Fund: Uddhav to ED

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday hit back at Enforcement Directorate action against some persons close to his party in an alleged COVID facility scam by seeking a probe into the PM CARES Fund.

He also sought probe into the functioning of civic bodies of Nagpur, Pimpri-Chinchwad and Pune, as well as governments in Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat, all of which were or are led by the Bharatiya Janata Party, and Thane, which was controlled by the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena.

The Prime Minister's Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund was set up in 2020 as a public charitable trust with the aim of having a dedicated national fund to deal with distress related primarily to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Prime Minister is the chairperson and members include Defence Minister, Home Minister and Finance Minister.

Addressing party workers, Thackeray dared the government to probe the working of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation during the pandemic, adding that the Epidemic Act and the Disaster Management Act were in place as the dire situation demanded that one go beyond rules to save the lives of citizens.

"We are not scared of any probe. And when you (government) want to probe, then you also probe Thane municipal corporation, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Pune and Nagpur civic bodies," he said.

"Probe the PM CARES Fund as well. The PM CARES Fund does not come under the ambit of any investigation. Lakhs and crores of rupees were collected. Many ventilators were malfunctioning. We will also carry out a probe," the former chief minister said.

In the middle of this week, the Enforcement Directorate had searched premises connected to persons reportedly close to Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders Sanjay Raut and Aaditya Thackeray as well as the central purchase department of the BMC.

The ED is probing alleged irregularities in the allotment of a civic contract to a firm to operate a jumbo COVID treatment facility.