While remanding businessman Suraj Chavan in ED custody in connection with the BMC khichdi scam, a special court ruled that the possibility cannot be ruled out that due to proximity of the accused with a prominent political leader he has influenced the person and managed to get work order of khichdi to M/s Force One Multi Services.
Chavan was arrested on Wednesday and was produced before the special court on Thursday which remanded him in ED custody till January 22.
The court in its detailed order said, “The contentions of the investigating agency show that illegal profit generated by M/s Force One Multi Services was distributed to the accused during 2019-2020.”
The court further said, “Prima facie, the statement of witnesses were confronted with the accused and the accused denied the same. The advocate of accused contends that the accused has no concern with the amount and the tender issued in the name of M/s Force One Multi Services. But the accused has not denied that ₹1.35 crore was credited to his account. It prima facie indicates that the accused is suppressing some material facts.”
The agency has alleged that BMC gave instructions for the allotment of khichdi supply to the organisations which do not meet the eligibility criteria. The BMC paid ₹5.93 crore to M/s Sahyadri Refreshments and ₹8.64 crore to M/s Force One Multi Services. However, Force One resorted to illegitimate acts and illegally gained public money of ₹2.73 crore which are fraudulently in the guise of salary to employees and therefore it led to total loss of ₹6.37 crore of public fund to BMC in the aforesaid orders.
