Sanjay Nirupam's sensational claim: 'Sanjay Raut is kingpin of Khichdi scam, took bribe in daughter's name'

Former Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam on Monday claimed that the main kingpin of the Khichdi scam is Uddhav Sena's Sanjay Raut, who he said took bribes in the name of his daughter, brother, and one partner. "When I started working on this scam, I came to know that the 'kingpin' of the Khichdi scam was someone else. The kingpin in this whole scam is Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson, Sanjay Raut. In this scam, he has taken money in the name of his daughter, brother and partner," Nirupam said in a press conference in Mumbai. 

Nirupam said Raut has taken bribes through cheques in the name of her daughter Vidhita Sanjay Raut, who herself is innocent and unaware of these things.

Nirupam said Sahyadri Refreshments got a contract worth Rs 6.37 crore to supply Khichdi during Covid. Rajiv Salunkhe and Sujit Patkar, who are partners of Sanjay Raut, are in the company, he said. From this company, Nirupam claimed, Raut's family took Rs 1 crore as commission.

The former Congress leader said Raut got first installment of this bribe money on May 29, 2020. He said Rs 3.5 lakh was received in his daughter Vidhita's account in the Vaishya Sahakari Bank Ltd. Rs 5 lakh was received on June 26. Rs 1.25 lakh was received on August 7, 2020. Later in that month, Rs 3 lakh was received through cheque. 

Nirupam said that Raut's brother Sandeep Raut also received money. "On August 6, 2020, Rs 5 lakh was received in his account from Sahyadri Refreshment. On August 20, Rs 1.20 lakh was received," he said, adding that Sanjay Raut's partner Patkar received nearly Rs 42 lakh.