The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on March 29 issued fresh summons to Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Amol G. Kirtikar to investigate his alleged involvement in the ‘khichdi scam’. The agency has asked Mr. Kirtikar to appear before it on April 8.
This is the second summons issued to the party’s candidate who is contesting the Lok Sabha election from the Mumbai North-West seat. Hours after his candidature was announced on Wednesday, the ED had summoned Mr. Kirtikar, but his lawyer sought more time for his client to appear before the agency.
Mr. Kirtikar’s father Gajanan Kirtikar is the sitting MP from Mumbai North-West and had joined the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena after the party split in June 2022.
The ‘scam’
The alleged scam pertains to irregularities in Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) awarding contracts to serve khichdi packets to migrant workers during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The ‘scam’ emerged when in September 2023, the Mumbai Police’s Economic Offences Wing (EOW) registered an FIR against Sujit Patkar, a close aide of Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut.
Among several other unidentified BMC officers, the police FIR named Sunil alias Bala Kadam. Police also named Sahyadri Refreshment’s Rajeev Salunkhe, partners and employees of Force One Multi Service, partners of Sneha Caterers and then assistant municipal commissioner (planning) Sangeeta Hasnale in the alleged scam of ₹6.37 crore.
During the probe, Mr. Kirtikar’s name came up and in September the EOW questioned him for six hours.
Later in October 2023, ED registered a money laundering case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and a close aide of Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray, Suraj Chavan, was arrested. The ED slapped attachment orders on Mr. Chavan’s properties worth ₹88 lakh. Mr. Raut’s younger brother Sandeep Raut was also questioned in the case.
