The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Mumbai Police extensively interrogated Amol Kirtikar, a prominent leader associated with the Shiv Sena (UBT), for a duration of five hours on Wednesday. This inquiry is linked to the alleged “khichdi scam” valued at Rs 6.37 crore, as reported by an official source.
Amol Kirtikar, who is the son of former Lok Sabha MP Gajanan Kirtikar, presented himself before EOW officials at Crawford Market in South Mumbai around 11.30 am on Wednesday. During the course of his appearance, EOW investigators delved into the details of the purported Rs 6.37-crore khichdi scam. It’s noteworthy that former MP Gajanan Kirtikar is presently aligned with the Shiv Sena, under the leadership of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
The EOW’s inquiry revolves around suspected irregularities related to the distribution of khichdi, a rice and lentil-based dish, which was intended for migrants during the COVID-19 pandemic. The contract for this distribution had been granted by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
The EOW is currently investigating the possibility that Amol Kirtikar played a role in facilitating the contractor’s acquisition of the khichdi distribution contract. This investigation by the EOW is an offshoot of the alleged discrepancies amounting to Rs 12,024 crore that were flagged by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) within the BMC’s operations.