Patra Chawl Scam: ED Arrests Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut Under PMLA, To Seek His Custody Today
Sanjay Raut Arrested: ED took Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut's custody under the PMLA while it was claimed that he was not cooperating in the probe.
New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday arrested Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut in a money laundering case linked to alleged irregularities in the redevelopment of a Mumbai 'chawl'.
The Shiv Sena MP was arrested after the central agency questioned him for over six hours at its zonal office in south Mumbai's Ballard Estate.
He was taken into custody at 12:05 am on Monday under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) as he was not cooperating in the probe, news agency PTI reported officials as saying.
The Rajya Sabha MP will be produced before a special PMLA court in Mumbai later in the day, where the Enforcement Directorate will seek his custody.
"Sanjay Raut has been arrested. BJP is afraid of him and got him arrested. They haven't given us any document (regarding his arrest). He has been framed. He will be produced in court at 11.30 am," brother Sunil Raut said, as quoted by news agency ANI.
On Sunday, a team of ED officials reached Sanjay Raut's residence in Mumbai's Bhandup area. They conducted a search, questioned Raut, and by evening, he was summoned for questioning at the agency's local office. The team also seized Rs 11.5 lakh in cash during the search, PTI cited officials as informing.
Following the ED raid, the Uddhav Thackeray loyalist said that the central agency's action was aimed at trying to weaken the Shiv Sena and Maharashtra. He alleged that a "false" case was prepared against him based on fake evidence.
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Patra Chawl Scam Case
The ED probe pertains to alleged financial irregularities in the redevelopment of Patra 'chawl' and related financial property transactions involving his wife and alleged associates.
In April, the ED provisionally attached assets worth over Rs 11.15 crore belonging to his wife Varsha Raut, and two of his associates-- businessman Pravin Raut, and Swapna Patkar, wife of the MP's close associate Sujit Patkar -- as part of this investigation.
The attached properties are in the form of land held by Pravin M Raut, Sanjay Raut's aide and a former director of Guru Ashish Construction Pvt Ltd, at Palghar, Saphale (town in Palghar) and Padgha (in Thane district).
As per the central agency, its investigation revealed that around Rs 100 crore was transferred from the real estate company, HDIL (Housing Development Infrastructure Limited), to the account of Pravin Raut, who in turn diverted part of these funds to various accounts of his close associates, family members, and business entities.
After arresting Pravin Raut in February, the ED stated that he appears to be "acting as a front" or in collusion with some influential person(s). As per the agency, during the probe, it was revealed he made payments to certain "politically exposed persons", news agency ANI reported.
These seized assets also include a flat in Mumbai's suburb Dadar held by Varsha Raut and eight plots at Kihim beach in Alibaug jointly held by Varsha Raut and Swapna Patkar, wife of Sujit Patkar, a "close associate" of Sanjay Raut, the ED had said.
The agency is understood to have questioned the Sena leader about his "business and other links" with Pravin Raut and Patkar and also about the property deals involving his wife.
(With Agency Inputs)
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