Uproar over Shinde’s ‘link’ with JH liquor scam accused

The arrest of Amit Salunkhe, whose manpower supply agency Sumeet Facilities is among three firms accused of embezzling ₹450 crore from the Jharkhand excise department, has stirred a row in political circles in Maharashtra.

- Saurabha Kulshreshtha

On Friday, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut alleged that the businessman has links with Shiv Sena MP and deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde’s son Shrikant Shinde.

Sumeet Facilities, which runs over 1,500 emergency ambulances in Maharashtra through the ‘108’ number along with two other firms, had escalated the annual charge for the ambulance service by hundreds of crores and Salunkhe had, in return, donated money to Shinde's foundation, Raut alleged.

“Amit Salunkhe has close connections with Shrikant Shinde and his firm received the contract to operate ‘108’ ambulances from the state public health department, which is with the Eknath Shinde camp,” said Raut.