ED grills Shiv Sena (UBT) leader for eight hours in ‘khichdi’ case

New Delhi, April 8

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Amol Kirtikar was on Monday questioned for almost eight hours by the Enforcement Directorate in Mumbai in connection with the alleged irregularities in the distribution of ‘khichdi’ by the Mumbai civic body during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Raut real kingpin

When I started working on this scam, I came to know that the kingpin was someone else. The kingpin in this whole scam is Raut. Sanjay Nirupam, former cong leader

Kirtikar, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena’s nominee from the Mumbai North West Lok Sabha constituency, appeared before the agency at its office in south Mumbai at 11.30 am, an official said. He left the ED office after 7 pm.

While speaking to mediapersons, Kirtikar claimed he answered all questions asked by ED officials. “I have submitted all the documents and answered all the questions asked by them,” he said.

Earlier in the day, expelled former Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam sharpened his attack on Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut, alleging that he was the “real kingpin” of the ‘khichdi’ scam. Incidentally, Nirupam was eyeing candidature from his former party the Congress, for the Mumbai North West seat. “When I started working on this scam, I came to know that the ‘kingpin’ was someone else. The kingpin in this whole scam is Raut,” Nirupam was quoted by agencies as saying. Nirupam further alleged that Raut and his family as well as other associates were involved in the scam.

An aspirant for the Congress’s ticket from Mumbai North West, Nirupam was upset with the party for letting its ally Uddhav Sena claim the seat. This finally led to his exit from the Congress. /Agencies