MUMBAI: Enforcement Directorate (ED) late Wednesday arrested Suraj Chavan, close aide of Shiv Sena UBT leader Aditya Thackeray in a money laundering case linked to alleged financial irregularities in awarding contracts for distribution of ‘khichdi’ to migrants during the pandemic by the BMC.
ED had called Chavan for statement at the Ballard Estate office on Wednesday and arrested him saying he was not cooperating in the probe. The ED will produce Chavan before the court on Thursday to seek his remand. Chavan is Shiv Sena UBT party secretary and core committee member of Yuva Sena.
ED has claimed that contractors appointed for distribution of khichdi to the poor and migrants during the pandemic had cheated BMC, with the help of civic officials, by submitting inflated bills. It is alleged that Chavan had used his influence to get many of these contracts awarded to his selected contractors. ED sources stated that Chavan was liaisoning between them and the BMC officials The ED is also investigating some payments received by Chavan and his brother.
Earlier the ED had searched Chavan’s residence along with IAS officer Sanjeev Jaiswal, who was additional municipal commissioner during the pandemic, and deputy municipal commissioner Ramakant Biradar, Sujit Patkar (a close friend of Shiv Sena UBT leader Sanjay Raut) in a covid field hospital scam case. The ED had then searched Chavan again in the khichadi scam case along with the premises of deputy municipal commissioner Sangeeta Hasnale and many others.
ED’s money laundering case is based on Mumbai police FIR in the khichadi scam where it named Hasnale, Sujit Patkar, three private contractors and three others. Hasnale was then assistant municipal commissioner of the planning department of the BMC under the then additional municipal commissioner Sanjeev Jaiswal and she was also holding charge of BMC’s assessment department. The planning department had awarded most of the khichadi contracts while the assessment department was engaged with supervising the distribution of khichadi and food packets. Part of these works was also executed through BMC’s other department (Central Purchase Department or CPD) then headed by Biradar.
ED had called Chavan for statement at the Ballard Estate office on Wednesday and arrested him saying he was not cooperating in the probe. The ED will produce Chavan before the court on Thursday to seek his remand. Chavan is Shiv Sena UBT party secretary and core committee member of Yuva Sena.
ED has claimed that contractors appointed for distribution of khichdi to the poor and migrants during the pandemic had cheated BMC, with the help of civic officials, by submitting inflated bills. It is alleged that Chavan had used his influence to get many of these contracts awarded to his selected contractors. ED sources stated that Chavan was liaisoning between them and the BMC officials The ED is also investigating some payments received by Chavan and his brother.
Earlier the ED had searched Chavan’s residence along with IAS officer Sanjeev Jaiswal, who was additional municipal commissioner during the pandemic, and deputy municipal commissioner Ramakant Biradar, Sujit Patkar (a close friend of Shiv Sena UBT leader Sanjay Raut) in a covid field hospital scam case. The ED had then searched Chavan again in the khichadi scam case along with the premises of deputy municipal commissioner Sangeeta Hasnale and many others.
ED’s money laundering case is based on Mumbai police FIR in the khichadi scam where it named Hasnale, Sujit Patkar, three private contractors and three others. Hasnale was then assistant municipal commissioner of the planning department of the BMC under the then additional municipal commissioner Sanjeev Jaiswal and she was also holding charge of BMC’s assessment department. The planning department had awarded most of the khichadi contracts while the assessment department was engaged with supervising the distribution of khichadi and food packets. Part of these works was also executed through BMC’s other department (Central Purchase Department or CPD) then headed by Biradar.