ED attaches flat, farmland of Aaditya Thackeray aide in Mumbai khichdi ‘scam’
Probe reveals he played a role in obtaining work orders for Force One Multi Services by bypassing eligibility criteria laid down by BMC, and acquired assets with tainted funds amounting to ₹1.35 cr.
he Enforcement Directorate (ED) has said its officials from the Mumbai zonal office have provisionally attached immovable properties worth ₹88.51 lakh of Shiv Sena (UBT) functionary Suraj Chavan under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, in the case related to securing work orders from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the civic body in Mumbai, to distribute ‘khichdi’ to migrants during the COVID19 pandemic.
Mr. Chavan is a close associate of Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray.
The officials said the attached properties were in the form of a residential flat in Mumbai and a parcel of farmland in Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra.
The ED initiated the investigation on the basis of a First Information Report registered by the Agripada
Tpolice, Mumbai, under various sections of the Indian Penal Code. The FIR was filed on the basis of a preliminary inquiry by the Economic Offences Wing, Mumbai Police, agency officials said in a statement.
The ED investigation revealed that Mr. Chavan has played a role in obtaining work orders in favour of Force One Multi Services by circumventing eligibility criteria laid down by the
BMC. He allegedly received tainted funds amounting to ₹1.35 crore out of the generated proceeds of crime, acquired by defrauding the BMC and by supplying khichdi packets of lesser quantity, the agency said.
The said proceeds of ₹1.35 crore was acquired by Mr. Chavan in the guise of salary and loan from Force One Multi Services and were diverted to acquire the attached immovable properties in Mumbai and Ratnagiri in his personal name.
On January 18 this year, Mr. Chavan was arrested by the ED for his involvement in the offence of money laundering and is currently in judicial custody.
The ED has also filed Prosecution Complaint against Mr. Chavan on March 15 before a special PMLA court. Further investigation is under progress.