Kadaknath chicken scheme: Raju Shetti approaches ED, seeks probe into ‘money laundering case’

Swabhimani Paksha chief and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) ally Raju Shetti on Friday approached the Enforcement Directorate (ED) demanding a probe into the alleged money laundering at the Maharayat Agro India Private Limited company.

The firm supplies ‘Kadaknath chicken’ and is facing multiple charges of cheating in Sangli, Kolhapur, Satara and Pune police. “More than 10,000 farmers and their families have been affected. The director promised a lot of benefits on paper while collecting money from farmers for rearing and marketing of Kadaknath poultry birds,” said Shetti, in his written application to the agency, adding that none of the promises have been fulfilled in the past four to five months.

He alleged: “Farmers are being neglected and culprits of the scam (board of directors and chairman) who were either relatives or friends of political leaders are free with the help of political power.”

He also attached a copy of the FIR registered with the police.

The Pune police have registered a case of cheating against the founders of Maharayat Agro India Private Limited based on a complaint lodged by Nilesh Shivaji Ambede, 35, a businessman from Pune, who invested in the scheme. Three months after the delivery, the company promised to buy back all the chickens from him at the rate of ₹300 for a bird. In May, the complainant paid ₹1 lakh, followed by ₹1.5 lakh the following month, through an online transaction. However, the promised chickens were not delivered to him despite repeated requests, according to his complaint. Moreover, in August the company’s office in Pune shut down leaving the investors in the dark, he submitted in his complaint.

Police received complaints from 66 others from Pune who were duped in a similar fashion.

The investments made by individuals ranged from ₹50,000 to ₹6 lakh. Shetti told Hindustan Times that the magnitude of the scam is large and spread across Maharashtra, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh. He said he has submitted evidences to ED of political connections in the case. “The main accused is at large,” he said, adding money has been laundered.