Rs 1.25 cr transferred to Aaditya aide Suraj Chavan’s personal bank account: ED

The agency claimed that work orders were issued by the BMC to two firms for supplying khichdi during the Covid-19 pandemic to migrant workers at a cost of Rs 33 per packet along with GST. The BMC paid Rs 5.93 crore to Sahyadri Refreshment and Rs 8.64 crore to Force One Multi Services.

The agency claimed that Rs 6.7 crore of the total amount paid by the BMC was siphoned off as part of the scam under the guise of employees’ salaries. The agency also claimed these firms were given work orders through the “influence” of BMC officials, despite them being ineligible or lacking experience in food services. The ED also said that instead of making 300 gram khichdi packets as per the contract, only 100 gram khichdi packets were prepared and supplied to BMC.

“During the course of investigation, examination of concerned BMC officers/official revealed that due to proximity of Suraj Chavan with senior political leader/influential persons, he managed to award the work order of khichdi to Force One Multi Services by BMC authorities,” the ED said.

The agency said that of the amount generated as proceeds of crime, Rs 1.25 crore was diverted to the Chavan’s personal bank account number and Rs 10 lakh to his partnership firm, Fire Fighters Enterprises. The details given by the ED state that from December 3, 2020 till February 12, 2021, this amount was transferred in 13 transactions ranging from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 15 lakh to the bank accounts. It said there was no explanation for this payment as Chavan had not played any role in the khichdi supply and that he was shown as an employee of Force One since 2019-2020. It also said funds were transferred in the form of salaries and personal loans. The agency claimed two forged and backdated appointment letters dated April 1, 2019 and April 1, 2020 were prepared in Chavan’s name.

“It is not an offence to know a politically influential person or having proximity with a politician is not a crime. The ground of arrest is not justified and is an abuse of the process of law,” Chavan’s lawyer Harshad Bhadbhade said.