Khichdi scam case: Funds transfer of ₹90L into Sena (UBT) leaders’ accounts under EOW scanner

The Mumbai police's Economic Offences Wing has discovered monetary transactions in the bank accounts of two Shiv Sena leaders in connection with an alleged scam in khichdi distribution during the pandemic. ₹53 lakh was transferred into Amol Kirtikar's account and ₹37 lakh was transferred into Suraj Chavan's account. The EOW suspects that the leaders helped the accused private firm, Force One Multi Services, secure the contract for khichdi distribution through their political influence. The case was registered on 2 September and all the accused have been booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code.

Mumbai: The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Mumbai police, which is probing an alleged ₹6.37 crore scam in ‘khichdi’ distribution during the pandemic has found monetary transactions in the bank accounts of Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Amol Kirtikar and Yuva Sena functionary Suraj Chavan.

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OW officials found that ₹53 lakh were transferred into Amol Kirtikar’s account while ₹37 lakh were transferred into Chavan’s account, said an official.

Both were questioned earlier and the agency was summoned for questioning again this week. The money went to their accounts from the accused private firm, Force One Multi Services, which acquired the BMC contract for khichdi distribution, an IPS officer who is familiar with the agency’s probe said. After verifying the documents of the firm, EOW learnt that Chavan and Kirtikar were shown allegedly as its consultants and the amounts transferred to their accounts were claimed to be their ‘consultancy charges’.

The EOW suspects that Chavan and Kirtikar had allegedly helped the firm bag the contract via their political clout. The IPS officer said, “The firm, 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, so it gave sub-contact to Sneha Caterers. The funds under the scanner had come in February 2021. 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. BJP leader and former Lok Sabha member Kirit Somaiya had earlier on September 14 submitted a letter to the Mumbai police commissioner Vivek Phansalkar, alleging that Chavan and Kirtikar had pocketed more than ₹1 crore each in the Khichdi case.

Despite calls and messages by HT, it could not reach Kirtikar and Chavan for their response/s to EOW’s allegations against them.

The case was registered on September 2 against businessman Sujit Patkar, the close aide 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 ₹6.37-crore ‘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. All the accused have been booked under sections 420, 409, 406, 34 and 120-B of the Indian Penal Code.

Kirtikar was questioned for five hours on September 20. Earlier, the EOW also questioned Shiv Sena leader Aditya Thackeray’s close aide Suraj Chavan for five hours on September 18 in the same case and a BMC official. Suraj Chavan was even questioned during a preliminary inquiry (PE) in Khichdi scam for several hours on August 23. Apart from the Khichdi scam, Chavan was also interrogated in another inquiry conducted by EOW in connection with the alleged irregularities in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) jumbo Covid centres.

The Preliminary Enquiry (PE) started after former MP Kirit Somaiya had raised objections over the BMC’s spending on Khichdi during a pandemic and given a complaint. Based on his complaint, a few months ago, EOW has initiated a preliminary enquiry to look into the Khichdi scam, said EOW official.

There were a total six PEs initiated by the EOW with regard to alleged irregularities in the functioning of the BMC during the pandemic. Subsequently, First Information Reports were registered to probe alleged irregularities in three instances ---related to the Covid jumbo centres case pertaining to the Lifeline Hospital Management Services Ltd, the purchase of body bags at inflated rates during the Covid pandemic and the distribution of Khichdi. There are three PEs currently related to alleged irregularities linked to supply of oxygen concentrators, supply of Remdesivir injections and construction of Jumbo Covid Centres at rented premises, said EOW officials.