A fresh round of allegations has broken out at Mumbai’s Lilavati Hospital and Research Centre.
Niket Mehta, Lilavati’s Managing and Permanent Trustee, has accused some board members of Lilavati Public Trust of money laundering, criminal conduct and attempts to sell the hospital.
Deepening an ongoing family feud, Mehta told mediapersons on Thursday that properties worth up to ₹500 crore were bought with hospital funds that was created for public use. The properties bought include an ONGC building in Bandra worth ₹250 crore and flats in Kandivali, Bandra and Khar, he alleged.
The 323-bed hospital has been at the centre of a family feud for over two decades now, involving brothers Kishore Mehta, Prabodh Mehta, Rashmi Mehta and the late Vijay Mehta, who set up the hospital. Niket Mehta is the son of Vijay Mehta, former Chief Executive of Lilavati Hospital, which was valued at close to ₹900 crore as of 2013.
Niket further alleged that a possible buyout of Lilavati Hospital was on, through other private hospitals entering as trustees. “The other way would be just like what happened to Escorts (Hospital),” he added. In 2005, Fortis had bought Escorts Hospital for ₹650 crore.
Niket said he had made repeated requests to Justice JN Patel, former Chairman of the interim board in charge of Lilavati Public Trust, for an injunction on the sale. The Trust was spending close to ₹100 crore as legal fees, he alleged, adding that the next hearing at the Supreme Court was on November 10.
Tanveer Nizam, counsel to Niket Mehta, added: “We have sent a letter to the Joint Charity Commissioner, and the hearing of the trustees will be held on November 15.” Financial discrepancies and involvement of other private hospital owners will be discussed at the hearing, he said.
EOW probe“The IT (income tax) raid that took pace at Lilavati Hospital in 2011 had no outcome,” Nizam said, adding: “Just recently, we have been approached by the EOW (Economic Offences Wing) for an investigation which could happen in the next two weeks.”
When contacted, a hospital spokesperson said: “The issue is among the trustees; the hospital is running smoothly.” He said the hospital has nothing to do with the allegations.