The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday issued summons to Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Amol G Kirtikar to appear before it in connection with the investigations into “khichdi scam”, hours after his party named its candidate for the Mumbai North West Lok Sabha seat.

Confirming the summons issued to Kirtikar, Shiv Sena chief spokesperson Sanjay Raut came down heavily on the ruling BJP over the development dubbing it as a “pressure tactic” applied on his party candidate from Mumbai north-west constituency.

The “khichdi scam” - in which Kirtikar is being probed for money laundering allegations, had earlier been investigated by the Mumbai Police’s Economic Offences Wing (EOW).

“Immediately after Amol Kirtikar’s nomination as party’s candidate, the ED issued summons to him. It’s nothing but the BJP’s attempts to silence its political opponents through central investigating agencies,” Raut said.

The alleged ‘khichdi scam’ relates to the contracts awarded by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for the supply of nutritious fare to thousands of migrants stranded during the Covid-19 pandemic crisis during the previous Uddhav Thackeray-led MVa government.

After the MVA Government was unseated by the Opposition BJP-Shinde Sena, the EOW registered an FIR in September 2023 against several SS (UBT) leaders including Raut’s close aide Sujit Patkar, Sunil Kadam, Rajeev Salunkhe of a catering company and other outfits, some BMC servants and others over the alleged scam of Rs 6.37 crore.

During the investigations, Kirtikar’s name also cropped up. He was questionned  by the EOW for over six hours in September  2023. After  the money-laundering angle also emerged in the case, the ED stepped into the investigations in October 2023. 

Having filed its own complaint and arrested Suraj Chavan - a close associate of SS (UBT)’s ex-minister Aditya Thackeray, the ED attached his properties worth Rs 88 lakh. BJP’s former MP and “whistle-blower” Kirit Somaiya has claimed that “Amol Kirtikar had received Rs. 1.65 crore in the ‘khichdi scam’.

Amol Kirtikar (52) is the son of a veteran Shiv Sena leader Gajanan Kirtikar, the sitting MP from Mumbai North West, who walked out of the Sena with rebel leader Chief Minister Eknath Shinde after the Shiv Sena party split in June 2022.

The Shiv Sena (UBT) has announced Amol Kirtikar as its candidate for the Mumbai north-west seat, ignoring its ally Congress’ claims over the seat.