Suraj Chavan, a close aide of former Maharashtra minister and Shiv Sena leader Aditya Thackeray, has been remanded to judicial custody for 14 days. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has directed that he be kept in judicial custody until February 7th, 2024.
Chavan was arrested by the ED in January 2024 in connection with the Khichdi scam, a corruption scandal related to the distribution of khichdi during the COVID-19 pandemic.The ED alleges that Rs. 3.64 crore were embezzled in the Khichdi distribution project. Of this, Rs. 1.25 crore have been traced to Chavan's accounts.Chavan has denied the allegations, stating that the money was earned through salary and loans. Chavan allegedly helped Force One Multi Services to bag the contract due to his proximity to a senior politician and a BMC official, and made a wrongful gain of Rs 1.35 crore out of the transaction, the ED claimed.