The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has provisionally attached immovable properties valued at ₹88.51 lakh belonging to Suraj Chavan, a Shiv Sena (UBT) functionary who was arrested in connection with alleged irregularities in awarding contracts for distributing Khichadi by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to migrant laborers and homeless individuals during the Covid-19 pandemic. Sources indicate that the seized properties include a flat in Mumbai and an agricultural land parcel in Ratnagiri district.
ED’s investigation revealed that Chavan played a role allegedly in obtaining civic work orders in favour of the vendor, M/s Force One Multi Services, while circumventing the eligibility criteria laid down by BMC.
For this, Chavan allegedly received tainted funds amounting to ₹1.35 crore out of the proceeds of crime, ED sources said. They added that the vendor in turn defrauded the civic body by supplying khichdi packets of lesser quantity.
In his statement to the ED on January 17, Chavan allegedly said that funds worth ₹1.35 crore came into his account and of his partnership firm. Chavan, however, denied any wrongdoing in the case on his part and claimed that the money he received from the vendor firm was only by way of salary and loans in the capacity of him being its employee.