In a major setback to the Enforcement Directorate (ED), the Bombay High Court has granted bail to Suraj Chavan, a close aide of Aaditya Thackeray, who was arrested last year in connection with the COVID-19 Khichdi scam. The ED had arrested Chavan for his alleged involvement in a money laundering case linked to irregularities in the distribution of food packets during the pandemic. He had spent one year and 18 days in custody before the High Court granted him bail on Wednesday.

While granting relief, the court observed that there was no official material on record to support the allegations against the vendor involved in the case. The order stated: “If at all it is the prosecution case that there is any illegal act on the part of the Vendor, i.e., M/s. Force One Multi Services, to provide under-weighing food packets, prima facie, there is no material placed on record through any official document of the MCGM to substantiate this allegation, which is clearly evident from the charge sheet.”