The Enforcement Directorate (ED) detained Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut, hours after searching his residence in Mumbai on Sunday in connection with a money laundering case.
The raid in connection with the Patra Chawl land scam case began on Saturday. The case is linked to irregularities in the re-development of the 'chawl' in Mumbai and related transactions involving his wife and 'associates'.
However, Raut has denied any wrongdoing and alleged that he was being targeted due to political vendetta. "...False action, false evidence...I will not leave Shiv Sena...Even if I die, I will not surrender...I have nothing to do with any scam," the Shiv Sena leader tweeted in Marathi. He said he can take Shiv Sena chief Balasaheb Thackeray's oath and say he has nothing to do with any scam. "I will continue to fight for Shiv Sena," he added.
Shiv Sena workers, meanwhile, gathered outside Raut’s residence as the federal agency carries out the search.
Earlier on July 26, a special court in Mumbai permitted ED to take businessman Pravin Raut to Delhi for questioning him in connection with the case. Raut, a former director of Guru Ashish Construction Pvt Ltd, is in judicial custody and was lodged at Arthur Road Jail in Mumbai.
He was arrested by ED in February this year in a money laundering probe linked to a Rs 1,034-crore land scam. The court, while granting permission to the probe agency, said that the application was allowed on the condition that the investigating officer must file an undertaking that once the ED, CBI custody, etc, if any, as directed by the Delhi court, ends, Raut is resubmitted in Arthur Road Jail immediately under safe and sure conduct.
First Published: Jul 31, 2022 10:05 AM IST
