Patra chawl case witness alleges threat to withdraw her statements against Sanjay Raut

Mumbai: A woman witness in the Patra chawl redevelopment project case, wherein Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut is one of the accused, has written to the Enforcement Directorate alleging that she was receiving threats to change her statements given during investigations.

She posted a letter written on August 28 to Amit Dua, additional director (western region), ED, on X.

"I have mentioned my plight to all the authorities in the country. No action was taken. No investigation done. No FIR, why? There will not be any point in giving justice after I am dead" (sic), she claimed.

Reacting to the letter, a Shiv Sena leader said the matter will be raised with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and the commissioner of police, Mumbai.

Raut was arrested by the ED in a money laundering case related to the Patra Chawl redevelopment project on August 1, 2022. He was released on bail on November 9, 2022.

The special court, while granting him bail, questioned why the ED did not arrest the main accused, Rakesh and Sarang Wadhawan of realty firm HDIL.

In the detailed order, the court said Sanjay Raut's arrest was “illegal” and a "witch-hunt”. The reason the agency did not arrest concerned officials of MHADA and other government departments was "nothing, but conveying a message to then Union agriculture minister and then (Maharashtra) chief minister, creating a fear psyche in their mind that they are the next in this queue," the judge had said without naming the politicians in question.

Notably, the woman witness had last year complained to the Mumbai Police claiming that she had received a threatening letter pressuring her not to raise her voice in court.

"I would like to bring it to your (ED) notice that the accused in the referred case and his touts/goons are constantly indulging in witness threatening/tampering with me and maybe with others as well. I am continuously being threatened and being pressured to change my statements given during the investigations.

"I am also being pressurised for the title of some lands and properties in the name of Sanjay Raut and his family members," she stated and requested the ED official to investigate the matter expeditiously.

Manisha Kayande, who belongs to Sena led by Shinde, said the party extends its support to the witness.

"It is our responsibility to stand firmly behind her. The reasons why Sanjay Raut has not been summoned must come out. Even Uddhav Thackeray has not uttered a single word about this issue. It is Thackeray who politicises attacks on women and calls himself a civilised and cultured politician, which doesn't suit him," Kayande said on Saturday.