ED summons top BMC official in Covid Khichdi scam

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has summoned the Deputy Municipal Commissioner of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) in the ongoing probe into the Covid Khichdi scam case. The top official, Sangeeta Hasnale, has been called for questioning into the alleged financial misappropriation by the BMC over distribution to migrant labourers during the Covid lockdown.

The agency suspects that the scheme’s contractor had allegedly supplied khichdi to the BMC at inflated rates with the help of certain civic officials who are under the scanner. It is also alleged that a few middlemen with political influence were at play who helped the contractors bag the supply contract in lieu of payments. It was alleged that the contractor that was given the contract by BMC to provide khichdi did not fit in the criteria as it did not have the food licence and so it gave the sub-contact to another firm. It was also alleged that the food packets to be distributed were required to weigh 300 grams but they weighed less.The ED had carried out searches at several locations in the city on Wednesday as part of its probe. The searched premises included those of Hasnale, the residential premises of a Shiv Sena (UBT) party secretary, Suraj Chavan, and the contractors tasked with the supply of khichdi during the pandemic.The khichdi scam is about the illegal bagging of a contract by the accused for preparing khichdi for migrant labourers during the pandemic.