ED officials search Raut's residence, investigate him

Meanwhile, the BJP has welcomed the ED raids at Raut's house

In a significant development in Maharashtra politics, Enforcement Directorate sleuths arrived at the residence of high-profile Shiv Sena leader and party’s chief spokesperson Sanjay Raut on Sunday over money laundering charges vis-a-vis the Rs 1,034-crore Patra Chawl land scam case.

Raut (60), a four-time Rajya Sabha member and Executive Editor of Saamana, is a close aide of Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray, who earlier headed the Maha Vikas Aghadi government.

Even while the raids were under way, Raut tweeted: “False action, false evidence…I am not going to leave Shiv Sena, I will not bow down…Jai Maharashtra…Maharashtra and Shiv Sena will continue to fight…but I will never leave Shiv Sena.”

While the Shiv Sena claims that it is an act of vengeance and with political motive, the BJP has welcomed the raids.

A group of 10 to 12 ED sleuths arrived at Raut's Maitree bungalow early in the morning. The ED was accompanied by a CRPF team.

Raut’s wife Varsha Raut and his brother and two-time Vikhroli MLA Pravin Raut too were present at the bungalow.

A group of Shiv Sainiks and Raut’s supporters assembled outside the bungalow even as Mumbai Police beefed up security arrangements. The protesters raised slogans against the BJP.

The statements of Raut and his wife Varsha Raut had been recorded earlier by the ED. But Raut had skipped later summons by the probe agency.

Earlier, the ED had also attached property worth Rs 9 crore related to Raut’s aide Pravin Raut and assets, worth around Rs 2 crore, belonging to his wife Varsha.

A case has been registered against him under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act vis-a-vis the Rs 1,034 crore land scam.

The team of ED swooped at his house early in the morning at Raut’s Bhandup suburban residence.

A team of central forces have also been deployed outside his home.

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena Mumbai South MP Arvind Sawant said: “This is an act of vengeance and with political motive.” He also said that both Raut and his wife had appeared before ED and their statements have been recorded.

BJP leader Sudhir Mungantiwar said: “Investigations happen as part of routine process. It may be recalled, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while he was Gujarat Chief Minister, was investigated ....(now Deputy Chief Minister) Devendra Fadnavis was also investigated. They cooperated with the investigations.”

BJP leader Kirit Somaiya said: “We welcome the ED investigations…hisab to dena padega.”

BJP leader and MLA Nitesh Rane said that Raut swindled the money of poor Marathi people and action needs to be taken against him.

Earlier, one of Raut’s close friends Pravin Raut was arrested in the case.

Guruashish Construction Pvt Ltd was involved in re-development of the Patra chawl which had 672 tenants in tenements on 47 acres belonging to the Maharashtra Housing Area Development Authority (MHADA). Guruashish Construction is a subsidiary company of Housing Development Infrastructure Ltd. (HDIL), which is under investigation by the ED and few other agencies in connection with the about Rs 4,300 crore alleged fraud at the Punjab and Maharashtra Cooperative (PMC) Bank. Guruashish Constructions did not redevelop the Patra chawl or any other flats that had to be handed over to MHADA and sold land parcels and FSI to around eight other builders for Rs 1,034 crores.