Mumbai COVID-19 centres ‘scam’: Shiv Sena (UBT) functionary Suraj Chavan appears before ED

Shiv Sena (UBT) functionary Suraj Chavan appeared before the Enforcement Directorate investigating a money laundering link in the alleged COVID-19 centres scam

Shiv Sena (UBT) functionary Suraj Chavan on June 26 appeared before the Enforcement Directorate investigating a money laundering link in the alleged COVID-19 centres scam to record his statement, an official said.

Mr. Chavan reached the ED office in south Mumbai at around 12.30 p.m., the official said.

He was summoned by the ED to record his statement after the federal agency raided 15 locations in Mumbai on June 21 in connection with a money laundering case related to an alleged COVID-19 centres scam against businessman Sujit Patkar, believed to be a close aide of Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut.

Mr. Chavan identifies himself as a secretary of Shiv Sena and a core committee member of Yuva Sena on his social media handle.

Raids were also conducted at the residence of Mr. Chavan and the locations of some officials of Mumbai civic body and others, including IAS officer Sanjeev Jaiswal, officials had said.

The ED recovered jewellery worth ₹2.4 crore and ₹68 lakh during the raid, an official had said earlier.

Mr. Patkar and his three partners allegedly bagged Mumbai civic body contracts fraudulently for managing COVID-19 field hospitals during the pandemic, the official said.