EOW summons Sanjay Raut’s younger brother in khichdi scam case

The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Mumbai police has summoned Sandeep Raut, brother of Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut, for questioning in connection with alleged irregularities in the distribution of khichdi to migrant workers during the Covid-19 pandemic. The EOW is investigating why Sandeep Raut received money from companies involved in the contract. Sanjay Raut has denied any fraud and defended the civic body's handling of the pandemic.

MUMBAI: The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Mumbai police on Thursday summoned Sandeep Raut, younger brother of Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut, for interrogation in connection with the alleged irregularities in the implementation of the BMC’s contract for supplying khichdi to migrant workers during Covid-19 pandemic.

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The agency has alleged that Sandeep Raut was a beneficiary of the purported scam and it wanted to question why he received money from the persons connected with the contract. However, Sanjay Raut has denied the allegation that fraud had taken place in Khichdi distribution during COVID-19 pandemic and maintained that the civic body had done a good job during the pandemic.

The EOW on Thursday summoned Sandeep Raut to appear for questioning on Friday.

The agency has alleged Sandeep Raut has received money from Sahyadri Refreshments, one of the accused companies that had got the contract to distribute Khichdi during the COVID-19 pandemic to migrant labourers.

“We want to question in what capacity he got the money from the company. Is he related to the Khichdi scam or were there some other transactions between him and the contractor? We also need to ascertain if he has in any way influenced the civic body to give the contract to Sahyadri Refreshments,” said the EOW officer.

The case was registered by EOW on September 2 against businessman Sujit Patkar, the close friend of a senior Shiv Sena (UBT) leader, Sunil alias Bala Kadam, Sahyadri Refreshments’ Rajeev Salunkhe, Force One Multi Service’s partners and employees, Sneha Caterer’s partners, then assistant municipal commissioner (Planning) and other unidentified BMC officers with the alleged ₹6.37crore ‘Khichdi’ scam case.

The case was registered after the police found financial irregularities allegedly carried out in awarding contracts for distribution of ‘Khichdi’ to migrants during the Covid-19 period by the BMC.

“There is no fraud. The BMC had given the best services to Mumbaikars during the pandemic. Those people who were sitting at home during the pandemic are now making allegations against us,” said Raut.

The agency had earlier questioned Sena UBT leader Amol Kirtikar and Aaditya Thackeray aide Suraj Chavan in the alleged khichdi scam.

The officials found that ₹53 lakh were transferred into Amol Kirtikar’s account while ₹37 lakh were transferred into Chavan’s account which is being investigated. The money went to their accounts allegedly from the accused private firm, Force One Multi Services, which acquired the BMC contract for khichdi distribution.

After verifying the documents of the firm, EOW learnt that Chavan and Kirtikar were shown as consultants and the amounts transferred to their accounts were claimed to be their ‘consultancy charges.’

A police officer said, “Force One Multi Services which was given a contract by BMC to provide Khichdi did not fit in the criteria as it did not have the food licence and therefore got the contract implemented through Sneha Caterers.

During an interrogation in EOW, Kirtikar and Chavan had both said that they were employees of the Force One firm and received the money as consultancy charges. Both were working as consultants in the firm”. The contractor allegedly bought the Khichdi at a cost of ₹16 per container, carrying 300 grams, from the sub-contractor, but then the former charged the same at the rate of ₹33 per container from the civic body. Even so, the contractor had also reduced the weight of the khichdi container by 100 to 200 grams, the officer said.