New Delhi: Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut wrote a letter to the Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu claiming harassment from the Enforcement Directorate (ED). He alleged that he and his family are being harassed by the central agency as they “are now reduced to puppets of their political masters.” He also said that some ED officials even admitted to having been "asked by their 'bosses' to 'fix' me".
Raut claimed that he was threatened with imprisonment if he did not aid in toppling the Maharashtra government and forcing a midterm election.
“About a month ago, I was approached by certain people and was told to assist them in toppling the state government in Maharashtra. They wanted me to be instrumental in such endeavour so that the state could be forced into a midterm election,” Raut wrote in the letter.
“I refused to be a party to any such clandestine agenda which was being pursued, upon which I was warned that my refusal could lead to my paying a very heavy price. I was even told that my fate could be like that of a former union railway minister who spent many years behind bars,” he added.
Raut even claimed that he is not the only Minister that is on the list, but there are a few senior leaders who would also end up in jail leading to a midterm election in the state.
“I was even warned that apart from me, two other senior ministers in the cabinet of the state of Maharashtra as well as two senior leaders in Maharashtra would also be sent behind the bars under the PMLA Act which would lead to midterm elections in the state of Maharashtra with all important leaders in the state being behind bars,” he said.
Raut went on to claim that the ED is trying to get statements from people who sold him land pieces about 17 years ago stating that he gave them cash above the agreed amount. He said that the ED is threatening those people and their families to give false statements against Raut.
“This is also happening to other people who had sold a similarly small piece of land to me and my family in 2012-2013. Day after day, ED and other agencies personnel call these people and threaten them with jail and attachment of their personal properties unless they give their statements against me,” he claimed in the letter.
Raut even explained that the information about the lands is in the public domain and the papers for the same were submitted in Rajya Sabha during his nomination.
“For all these years, there was no question asked of me. However, suddenly now everything has become a matter of 'concern' for the ED and other agencies. ED and other agencies have no business to "investigate" in respect of a property/properties acquired nearly two decades ago,” Raut said.
He added that as many as 28 people have been threatened in this manner so far. He also mentioned that the Prevention of Money Laundering Act was enacted in 2003, and does not apply to transactions before 2003. As per Raut’s claims, ED is misusing this law against the political rivals of BJP with an ulterior motive “in the garb of investigation.”
“Ever since Shiv Sena parted ways with the BJP in the state of Maharashtra, we find Shiv Sena MPs/ leaders being systematically targeted by using law enforcing agencies such as the Enforcement Directorate being let loose against us and in the process. Enforcement Directorate Personnel is leaving no stone unturned to intimidate/harass our legislators, MPs, political leaders as well as their relatives, friends, and acquaintances,” he added.
Raut asserted at the end of the letter that he “will not bow down and will continue to speak the truth.” He finished the letter with a poem by German pastor Martin Niemoller who did not speak during the Nazi rule and later wrote a confessional poem of regret.