'Why Didn’t ED Reach Dhule?': Sanjay Raut Slams CM Fadnavis Over Rs 5 Crore Cash Recovery Row
Shiv Sena Leader Sanjay Raut demanded that the Maharashtra government fix a time frame for the Special Investigation Team (SIT) that has been formed to probe the matter.
Mumbai, May 23 (PTI) Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Friday asked why Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis did not hand over the case concerning the recent cash recovery in Dhule to the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
He demanded that the Maharashtra government fix a time frame for the Special Investigation Team (SIT) that has been formed to probe the matter.
The opposition has alleged that Rs 5 crore was found in a room at the guest house in Dhule city ahead of the recent visit of the Estimates Committee there and that it was meant for bribery. The allegations prompted the CM to order an SIT probe.
Talking to reporters here, Raut said that instead of announcing the SIT, the CM should have ordered the registration of a case against Kishore Patil, section officer in the state legislature and the personal assistant (PA) to the Estimates Committee chairperson Arjun Khotkar.
Khotkar is an MLA of the Shiv Sena led by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
“If Khotkar says the entire incident is staged to malign the committee, why has Patil been suspended by the legislative council chairman Ram Shinde,” he asked.
Kishore Patil was suspended as the room had been booked in his name, Ram Shinde had said on Thursday.
Raut questioned why the time frame and other details concerning the SIT were not made public.
“Fadnavis should have handed over the case to the ED,” he added.
When asked about the Supreme Court's rebuke of the Enforcement Directorate for "crossing all limits", Raut said it only adds to the tally of critical observations of courts on the "misuse" of the agency's powers.
Raut said the Narendra Modi-led Centre has misused the agency to harass political opponents over the past 10 years, and “the top court pointed out the same”.
The apex court on Thursday stayed a money laundering probe against Tamil Nadu-run liquor retailer TASMAC over alleged illegal grant of wine shop licences. During the hearing, Chief Justice of India B R Gavai said, “Your ED is crossing all limits.” “Why didn’t the ED reach Dhule to investigate the cash recovery issue,” asked Raut.
(This report has been published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. Apart from the headline, no editing has been done in the copy by ABP Live.)
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