Law Briefs | Khichdi scam: ED charge sheet against Suraj Chavan; MSCB case: ED opposes EOW closure report

The ED on Friday filed a chargesheet against Suraj Chavan, close aide of Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray, in connection with the BMC khichdi scam. Chavan was arrested in January with the agency claiming that work orders were issued by BMC to two firms for supply of khichdi during Covid-19 pandemic to migrant workers at Rs 33 per packet with GST. BMC paid Rs 5.93 crore to Sahyadri Refreshment and Rs 8.64 crore to Force One Multi Services. The ED said documents were forged and backdated to show that Chavan was an employee in one of the firms, although he had no role. It also claimed that Chavan’s proximity with a ‘senior political leader’ had facilitated him to grant a contract to a firm. The chargesheet also names Chavan as the accused.

MSCB case : ED opposes EOW closure report in court

The ED has filed an intervention application opposing the closure report filed by Mumbai Police Economic Offences Wing (EOW) in the Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank (MSCB) case. The EOW had for the second time said there was no evidence to file a chargesheet against the persons investigated, which included Dy CM Ajit Pawar. When the agency had made a similar plea in 2020 at a time when the EOW first filed a closure report, it was rejected by the special court which said the agency had no locus standi. A plea is now pending before Bombay High Court.