Khichdi scam: ED questions Shiv Sena (UBT) LS candidate Amol Kirtikar for 7 hours

After receiving ED’s notice in March Kirtikar had sought an eight-week extension as he was in his home town, Dapoli, in Ratnagiri district

MUMBAI: After he failed to appear before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) when the agency issued a notice on March 27 for his alleged involvement in the ₹6.37 crore khichdi scam, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Amol Kirtikar turned up at ED’s office in Ballard Estate, on Monday at around 11:42 am and left the premises at around 7:20 pm.

Mumbai, India – April 08, 2024: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Amol Kirtikar arrived at the Enforcement Directorate office (ED) in connection with the Covid-19 Khichdi scam case, in Mumbai, India, on Monday, April 08, 2024. (Photo by Bhushan Koyande/HT Photo)

After receiving ED’s notice in March Kirtikar had sought an eight-week extension as he was in his home town, Dapoli, in Ratnagiri district.

The party’s candidate from the Mumbai north-west Lok Sabha constituency is under the scanner for being an alleged beneficiary of financial transactions with a khichdi contract vendor in 2020, during the first wave of Covid-19. The scam also involves irregularities in the distribution of khichdi among migrant workers and the homeless by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) during the pandemic.

Before entering the agency’s office on Monday, Kirtikar told the media that he would “cooperate and provide all documents required from him”. While he denied any wrongdoing, he said though he had signed off on the financials at the time, it was up to ED to determine if they were part of any financial crime.

Over a hundred supporters from his party, and relatives including his wife, had gathered around the agency’s office, keeping vigil amid contingents of police personnel from the MRA Marg police station and state reserve police.

Kirtikar’s name cropped up after the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Mumbai police took over the probe of a case registered by the Agripada police on September 1, 2023, on alleged irregularities related to the civic khichdi contracts and work orders.

The case was registered by the Mumbai police after former MP of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Kirit Somaiya had raised objections over the BMC’s expenditure on khichdi during the pandemic. The EOW case was registered on September 2 against businessman Sujit Patkar, the close aide Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut, 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 BMC officers.

ED began its money-laundering investigation last October on the basis of the registered case. According to the agency, BMC had issued two work orders for the distribution of khichdi to migrant workers and the poor during the initial phase of the epidemic. One of the work orders was issued to Sahyadri Refreshments, while the other to Force One Multi Services which had further allegedly sub-contracted part of its work to two other entities,who had failed to meet requirements for eligibility, said ED officials.

Amol Kirtikar’s father is Lok Sabha member Gajanan Kirtikar from the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena. He came into limelight after he refused to join the CM’s faction, despite his father shifting loyalties in November 2022.

However, this is not the first time Kirtikar has been under pressure. He has been questioned by agencies since September for his alleged involvement in the scam, but unlike others such as Ravindra Waikar who switched over to the Shinde faction from Sena (UBT) when he faced allegations of building a hotel in Jogeshwari on BMC-owned land or MP Bhavana Gawli who also switched sides facing allegations that she and her associates had conspired to convert an NGO in Yavatmal into a company by forgery, Kirtikar did not succumb to pressure and stood by the Thackeray faction.

Since his candidature was made official, Kirtikar has already completed the first round of meetings and campaign in all assembly segments from Mumbai north-west.

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena is still struggling to identify a candidate to contest against Kirtikar.

After he received summons for the inquiry on April 8, Kiritkar declared that he was mentally prepared for arrest by ED like Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and in anticipation also gave up eating non-vegetarian food, as it is not served in jail.

Extending the party’s support towards the leader, after he exited the ED office on Monday, Raut said, “It’s just an inquiry. So there is no question on Amol’s candidature. If leaders who were arrested and targeted by BJP leaders for alleged corruption can fight elections by joining hands with the BJP, then why can’t Amol?”

Another Sena (UBT) leader under probe is former mayor Kishori Pednekar for her alleged involvement in inflating rates of body bags used during the pandemic. The agencies are also probing the purchase of Remdesivir injections at inflated rates as well as irregularities in setting up oxygen plants in civic hospitals when Uddhav Thackeray was CM.