Patra Chawl Case: Sanjay Raut’s ED Custody To End Today, Shiv Sena MP To Be Produced In Court

On Wednesday, a special court in Mumbai extended the Enforcement Directorate (ED) custody of Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut in a money laundering case till August 8.

Shiv Sena Leader Sanjay Raut.

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Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut will be produced in a special court as his Enforcement Directorate (ED) custody ends on Monday. On Wednesday, a special court in Mumbai extended the Enforcement Directorate (ED) custody of Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut in a money laundering case till August 8.

The court had remarked that the ED had made "amazing progress" in the inquiry while prolonging Raut's detention.

In connection with alleged financial irregularities in the reconstruction of Patra "Chawl" (ancient row tenement) in suburban Goregaon and linked financial property transactions involving his wife and suspected associates, the central investigation agency had detained Raut on July 31.

On August 1, the court had ordered him to remain in ED custody until August 4.

The investigating agency produced Raut before special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court judge M.G. Deshpande at the conclusion of his initial detention. It sought an extension of his custody in order to conduct further investigations into the case.

The court prolonged the custody until August 8 after hearing both sides.

The ED had claimed to the court that Raut and his family collected "proceeds of crime" worth more than Rs 1 crore as a result of suspected irregularities in the housing redevelopment project.

The ED's case against Raut is based on an earlier one filed in March 2018 against HDIL promoters Rakesh Wadhawan and his son Sarang Wadhawan, Guruashish Construction Pvt Ltd — a subsidiary of HDIL that oversaw the renovation of Patra Chawl in Goregaon — and its director Pravin Raut, among others.

The ED alleged Sanjay Raut was also a part of a broader plot concocted by the Wadhawans and Pravin Raut to steal money from the Patra Chawl project. The Rauts, according to the ED's remand motion, launched Avani Infrastructure for the purpose.