ED Summons Uddhav Sena Leader Amol Kirtikar In “Khichdi Scam” (image-X/AmolGKirtikar)Moments after Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) nominated Amol Kirtikar as its Lok Sabha candidate from the constituency of Mumbai North-West, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) summoned Kirtikar over the “khichdi scam.”
Sanjay Raut, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader, stated that they will not be withdrawing or changing his candidature. Raut said that the ED summons was simply an attempt to scare which will not deter them. The party had released the names of 16 candidates standing from the state of Maharashtra in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
#WATCH | On Enforcement Directorate summons to Shiv Sena UBT leader Amol Kirtikar, Sanjay Raut says, “The moment his name was announced as a Lok Sabha election candidate, he got a summon from ED. This is only an attempt to scare, but we won’t be scared.” pic.twitter.com/mCtPxlxG9S
— ANI (@ANI) March 27, 2024
The 2020 “khichdi scam” relates to the irregularities in the distribution of khichdi to migrant workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, where Kirtikar allegedly aided the vendor, who had secured the contract, and engaged in financial transactions worth Rs 6.37 crore. The FIR includes names including Raut’s close aide Sujit Patkar and Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, among others.
In September, Kirtikar was questioned by Mumbai Police’s Economics Offences Wing after the Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate was named as one of the alleged beneficiaries of the funds transferred by the Khichdi vendors. In October, the ED registered a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act and arrested party leader Aditya Thackeray’s close aide, Suraj Chavan. A chargesheet was also filed against Chavan, with his immovable properties, in the form of a residential flat in Mumbai, worth Rs 88.51 lakh provisionally attached to the case.
The ED accused Chavan of receiving orders from a firm called Force One Multi Services, which, as per the FIR, sells sand and bricks and provides security services. The firm had no licence from the health department or the Department of Food and Drug Administration for supplying food.
Based on an RTI filed by The Indian Express, the owner of the firm is Sanjay Mashilkar, the Shinde-led Shiv Sena’s party secretary. Mashilkar stated that he had hired two other individuals to look after the business and had not been involved himself. The ED accused Chavan of receiving Rs 1.35 crore in exchange for supplied food packets of a lower quantity.
Gajanan Kirtikar, father of Kirtikar, is the sitting MP from the Mumbai North-West constituency. He is also part of the Eknath Shinde’s, the Chief Minister, faction of the Shiv Sena.
Yawn how predictable. Thackeray announces Mumbai candidates BJP sends in favourite ally ED. BJP knows the reality that in Maharashtra they will have a tough fight so working on intimidation & dissenters in alliance https://t.co/Qd0p74NL0f
— Swati Chaturvedi (@bainjal) March 27, 2024
Notably, the ED also summoned TMC leader Mahua Moitra and businessman Darshan Hiranandani for questioning related to a foreign exchange violation case, asking them to appear on March 28.