The ED has accused Mr. Sanjay Raut and his family to have profited Rs 1.06 crore from the land scam. He has also been charged by the ED for tampering with the evidence and threatening a witness of rape and murder.
New Delhi: A special PMLA court in Mumbai ordered ED yesterday to hold Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut till August 4. According to reports, the ED has detained Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut in connection with a money laundering case. The case involves suspected violations in the reconstruction of a Mumbai “chawl.” After more than six hours of interrogation at the ED’s zonal office in South Mumbai’s Ballard Estate, it took Mr. Raut under custody.
According to the ED, the PMLA probe that has been completed so far has proven a POC trail of Rs. 1.06 crore to Sanjay Raut and his family. According to some of the vendors, the Rajya Sabha MP spent a large sum of money to buy land plots in the seaside town of Alibaug in the neighboring Raigad district.
The central agency has increased its initial claim of Rs 83 lakhs to Rs 1.06 crore. It confirmed that Mr. Raut and his family members have profited from the extra money. He has also been charged by the ED for threatening to rape and kill a crucial testimony in the Alibaug property transaction.
The stance of Sanjay Raut
Investigators from the ED and the CRPF had arrived at Sanjay Raut’s “Maitri” home in Mumbai on July 31 morning. After searching his Mumbai home for evidence, the (ED) on Sunday apprehended Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut in association with the Patra Chawl land fraud case. According to sources when the ED officers were leaving with Raut, some party leaders were present there.
Prominent Shiv Sena leader and Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut has defended his actions. He has asserted that he is the victim of “political vendetta” despite having committed no wrongdoing.
Because Raut ignored the two summonses issued in connection with the suspected anomalies the ED conducted searches. Sanjay Raut got under the scanner for the redevelopment of the Mumbai “chawl” and associated financial transactions involving his wife and “associates.” He had also requested an extension till August 7 due to obligations to the Parliament, according to the reports.
Case filed by Enforcement Directorate
The ED informed Judge M. G. Deshpande of the Special PMLA court that the MHADA owns 47 acres of property in Patra Chawl. Moreover, it revealed that there are 672 tenants on the aforementioned plot owned by Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority.
Guru Ashish Constructions received many permissions and approvals for the renovation and extra FSIs for the project. Pravin Raut, a businessman, is one of the directors of this real estate firm who was previously accused and arrested.
According to the investigation agency, Pravin Raut, who has previously been charged in the case, functioned as Sanjay Raut’s representative. He frequently spoke with officials to seek approvals, clearances for the creation of the ill-gotten money. It reported that, between 2010 and 2014, this resulted in the production of Rs 1039.79 crore in proceeds of crime.
According to the investigation agency, Pravin Raut was the source of the monetary component. The ED further disclosed that Pravin Raut paid for domestic and international trips done by Sanjay Raut’s family using funds. It further added that Pravin Raut sent the Rajya Sabha MP Rs 2 lakh in cash each month between 2010 and 2014.
