ED summons dy municipal chief on Monday in khichdi scam case

The Enforcement Directorate has summoned the deputy municipal commissioner of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation in connection with its money laundering probe related to alleged irregularities in the distribution of Khichdi among migrant workers during the Covid-19 pandemic.

MUMBAI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has summoned the deputy municipal commissioner of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Monday in connection with its money laundering probe related to alleged irregularities in the distribution of Khichdi among migrant workers during the Covid-19 pandemic.

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ED summoned BMC’s deputy municipal commissioner, Sangita Hasnale, on Monday to record her statement in connection with its probe. The ED had earlier asked Hasnale to appear before its investigating team today (October 26) but she had sought an exemption due to her engagement in official work so she was called afresh on Monday, ED sources said. Hasnale will be questioned by the ED on Monday to seek information and clarifications related to the planning of the civic scheme related to the distribution of khichdi to migrant workers and other sections of stranded, poor people during the pandemic, the sources said.

The agency will also be questioning a few other persons next week who were associated with the planning and operation of the khichdi distribution scheme of BMC and whose premises were searched recently by the agency as part of its probe, the sources said. The ED is trying to reach the end - beneficiaries of the proceeds of crime generated in the case via the irregularities. Hasnale was an assistant municipal commissioner during the time the Khichdi contract was allegedly planned for operation, sources said. The ED probe is part of the agency’s scanner on the BMC’s ₹4,000 crore expenditure on COVID-related contracts.

The agency suspects that the scheme’s contractor had allegedly supplied khichdi to the BMC at inflated rates with the help of certain civic officials who are under the scanner. It is also alleged that a few middlemen with political influence were at play who helped the contractors bag the supply contract in lieu of payments. It was alleged that the contractor that was given the contract by BMC to provide khichdi did not fit in the criteria as it did not have the food licence and so it gave the sub-contact to another firm. It was also alleged that the food packets to be distributed were required to weigh 300 grams but they weighed less.

The ED had carried out searches at several locations in the city on Wednesday as part of its probe. The searched premises included those of Hasnale, the residential premises of a Shiv Sena (UBT) party secretary, Suraj Chavan, and the contractors tasked with the supply of khichdi during the pandemic. The ED began its money-laundering investigation on the basis of a September First Information Report of the Mumbai police’s Economic Offences Wing (EOW) that alleged there were irregularities worth ₹6.37 crore in the case.

The EOW case was registered on September 1 against businessman Sujit Patkar, the close aide of a senior Shiv Sena (UBT) leader, two persons associated with Sahyadri Refreshments, Force One Multi Service’s partners and employees, Sneha Caterer’s partners, then assistant municipal commissioner (Planning) and other unidentified BMC officers. The EOW case was registered under several sections including those related to cheating and criminal conspiracy under the Indian Penal Code after the police detected financial irregularities in the award of contracts for the distribution of ‘khichdi’ during the Covid-19 pandemic.