Bombay HC grants bail to Aaditya Thackeray aide Suraj Chavan in ₹6.7 crore khichdi scam case

The Bombay High Court on Tuesday granted bail to Suraj Chavan, aide of Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray, in the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) probe into the alleged ₹6.7 crore Khichdi scam linked to COVID-19 relief efforts.

The Bombay High Court on Tuesday granted bail to Suraj Chavan, accused in the Khichdi scam involving financial irregularities in food distribution for migrant workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Justice Milind N Jadhav approved Chavan’s bail on a ₹1 lakh provisional cash bond, with an option to provide sureties within four weeks.
• Chavan is restricted from leaving Maharashtra, influencing witnesses, or tampering with evidence during his bail period.
• ED accused Chavan of financial fraud in a contract linked to the BMC's food distribution scheme, alleging that he failed to explain transactions and did not cooperate with the probe.

The special PMLA court had denied Chavan’s bail plea in September 2024, but the High Court overruled the decision. Chavan argued that ED selectively targeted him, while the owner of Force One Multi Services, which received the contract, was not arrested.

The HC directed Chavan to cooperate with the ED, appear before officials on specified dates, and avoid unnecessary trial delays.