In fresh notice, ED summons Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate Amol Kirtikar on April 8

MUMBAI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has summoned Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Amol Kirtikar on April 8 in connection with its money laundering probe linked to the alleged irregularities in the distribution of khichdi during the Covid-19 pandemic, people familiar with the matter said.
Kirtikar, who is contesting the Lok Sabha elections from the Mumbai North-West seat, was earlier summoned by the agency to face questioning on March 27. But he skipped the hearing and sought an eight-week extension. The Mumbai North-West constituency votes on May 20.
Kirtikar’s father Gajanan Kirtikar, who is with the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, is the sitting Mumbai North-West MP. Shiv Sena (UBT) has already named Amol Kirtikar as its candidate for the Mumbai North-West Lok Sabha constituency while the Shinde-led Shiv Sena is expected to field actor Govinda from the seat.
The case revolves around alleged irregularities in the distribution of khichdi among migrant workers and the homeless by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Kirtikar, who was questioned by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Mumbai police last September, has denied the allegations.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut drew a link between the party’s decision to field Kirtikar and the ED summons. “The moment his name was announced as a Lok Sabha election candidate, he got a summons from ED. This is only an attempt to scare, but we won’t be scared,” he said on Wednesday.
ED officials said Kirtikar was on the agency’s scanner in connection with allegations related to his assistance in securing a contract for a vendor involved in the khichdi distribution and certain monetary transactions with the vendor.
The probe is part of a larger investigation into the BMC’s approximately ₹4,000 crore expenditure on Covid-19 related contracts. The agency recently submitted its chargesheet against Suraj Chavan, a Shiv Sena (UBT) functionary, for his alleged role in the case. ED also provisionally attached Chavan’s immovable properties worth ₹88.51 lakh, including a Mumbai residential flat and an agricultural land parcel in Ratnagiri.
ED started its investigation after the Agripada police station in Mumbai registered a first information report and a preliminary enquiry conducted by the EOW, indicated that Suraj Chavan allegedly played a role in obtaining civic work orders in favour of khichdi vendor, Force One Multi Services, while circumventing the eligibility criteria laid down by the BMC.
According to ED, Chavan allegedly received ₹1.35 crore out of the generated proceeds of crime acquired by the vendor by supplying khichdi packets of lesser quantity.