Sanjay Nirupam claims Sanjay Raut is "kingpin" of 'Khichdi' scam; Shiv Sena (UBT) hits back

Reacting to former Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam's allegations that Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut is the kingpin of the 'khichdi' scam, party's spokesperson, Anand Dubey accused the former Congressman of "intentionally trying to malign the image" of his party's candidate.

Reacting to former Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam's allegations that Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut is the kingpin of the 'khichdi' scam, party's spokesperson, Anand Dubey accused the former Congressman of "intentionally trying to malign the image" of his party's candidate. "He is intentionally trying to malign the image of our leaders like Amol Kirthikar and Sanjay Raut when the elections are going to be held on May 20 in Mumbai. He is raising a four-year-old issue, why have you been silent for this long?... When Congress expelled him and he was roaming for a ticket, he asked every party for this and when nothing seemed to be working, he is now conspiring to malign the image of Shiv Sena," Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson Anand Dubey said.

He further appealed to the people of Mumbai not to get into these rumours. "I appeal to the people of Mumbai not to get into these rumours. We aren't afraid of ED and all put us in jail and we will come out on bail. Our leaders are facing this difficult situation. He has learned the culture of the BJP too soon, the BJP is the only party that tries to malign people's image by keeping the family forward," he said.

Amid Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and Mumbai North West Lok Sabha candidate, Amol Kirtikar, being summoned by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) in connection with the money laundering probe linked to alleged irregularities in the distribution of 'Khichdi' during the Covid-19 pandemic, former Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam claimed that Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut is the kingpin of the 'khichdi' scam. "When I started working on this scam, I came to know that the 'kingpin' was someone else. The kingpin in this whole scam is Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson, Sanjay Raut...," Nirupam said while speaking to reporters at a press conference on Monday.

Explaining how Sanjay Raut amassed money in the name of his family members and partner in the alleged scam, Nirpuam said that he took bribes from the company that got the contract to supply 'khichdi' during Covid. "In this scam, he has taken money in the name of his daughter, brother and partner. There is a company called Sahyadri Refreshment where Rajiv Salunkhe and Sujit Patkar were involved, who were partners of Sanjay Raut. The company recieved a contract worth Rs 6.37 lakh to supply khichdi during Covid. Sanjay Raut's family and his friends took Rs 1 crore as brokerage. ..He has taken bribes through cheques in the name of her daughter Vidhita Sanjay Raut, who herself is innocent and unaware of these things...," the former Congress leader said.

"...Sanjay Raut is the main kingpin of the Khichdi scam...Sanjay Raut has taken a bribe of Rs 1 cr in the name of his family and partner. I believe that her daughter is innocent and unaware of such things. He is a 'Khichdi chor' and ED should arrest such people...," Nirpuam said speaking to ANI. Speaking about the questioning of Amol Kirtikar by the ED in the 'khichdi' scam case, Nirupam said, "What ED does after the interrogation, I don't know, but action must be taken against him. The entire people from the North-West district should know, how dishonest their possible candidate is."

Responding to a question by the reporter on the possibility of his joining any other political party, Nirupam said, "I haven't decided yet. Talks will start during the Navratri which is starting tomorrow and then I'll decide where to go." The ED issued a second summons to Shiv Sena (UBT) Lok Sabha candidate Amol Kirtikar for questioning in his alleged involvement in the 'khichdi' scam, which pertains to irregularities in the distribution of 'khichdi' among migrant workers and homeless people by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) during the Covid-19 pandemic.

On April 4, Sanjay Nirupam was expelled from the Congress for "indiscipline" and "anti-party statements," Congress General Secretary K C Venugopal said in a statement. "Taking note of the complaints of indiscipline and anti-party statements, the Hon'ble Congress President has approved the expulsion of Shri Sanjay Nirupam from the party for six years with immediate effect," Venugopal said in the statement on Wednesday night.

The party's decision comes after Nirupam was removed from the list of star campaigners for the Congress party in Lok Sabha general elections 2024 earlier in the day. The action was taken for his recent remarks against INDIA block partner, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray), over seat-sharing for the Lok Sabha election.

Sanjay Nirupam was keen to contest from the Mumbai North West seat but after the seat-sharing, the seat went to Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate Amot Kirtikar. Nirpuam, who had represented Mumbai North in 2009 in the Lok Sabha, said that the decision of the Shiv Sena to field candidates in Mumbai was meant to sideline the Congress.

Notably, the state of Maharashtra with its 48 Lok Sabha seats, is the second-largest contributor to the lower house of Parliament after Uttar Pradesh. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP won 23 out of 25 contested seats, while the undivided Shiv Sena secured 18 seats.

The undivided NCP, part of the opposition alliance, contested 19 seats and won four. (ANI)

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