Nagpur/Mumbai: Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut was finally arrested late on Sunday night after hours-long raids by the Enforcement Directorate in a money-laundering case. The raids were carried out after the top Shiv Sena leader and Rajya Sabha MP’s no-show when the central probe agency issued summons. The ED will be producing Raut, 60, in a special PMLA (Prevention of Money Laundering Act) court on Monday. The arrest is likely to trigger strong reactions from the opposition, which has alleged misuse of Central probe agencies by the BJP.
The top Sena leader has been arrested in connection with the money laundering case related to the redevelopment of Mumbai’s Patra Chawl and related transactions involving his wife and others, according to officials.
On his arrest, Raut’s brother and Shiv Sena MLA Sunil Raut said, “The BJP was trying to scare Sanjay Raut, and will continue (to do that) with Uddhav Thackeray. The arrest is being made to silence Sanjay Raut. Now everyone in Maharashtra will raise the voice against this injustice”.
“The amount found in the house – Rs. 10 lakh is of Eknath Shinde (the Maharashtra Chief Minister). It was a party fund for the Ayodhya trip. ‘Ayodhya tour’ is written on the envelope,'” claimed Sunil Raut outside the ED office.
Sanjay Raut was taken to the Enforcement Directorate on Sunday evening. The raids at his Mumbai home started earlier in the morning, and continued for about nine hours. A defiant Sanjay Raut said he won’t quit Team Uddhav Thackeray, adding that “false evidence was being produced against him in a false case”.
The probe agency said about Rs 11 lakh cash was found at Raut’s house. The action against him was followed by protests by party members. “I will not leave Shiv Sena..Even if I die, I will not surrender,” the Rajya Sabha MP tweeted on Sunday. I swear by the late Balasabheb Thackeray that I have nothing to do with any scam…Balasaheb taught us to fight..I will continue to fight for Shiv Sena.”
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde — taking a swipe at the leader — said no invite was sent to him by his faction or the BJP. “If he is innocent, he should not fear a probe,” he was quoted as saying by a news agency.
Raut’s arrest comes weeks after the fall of the Uddhav Thackeray government in Maharashtra due to Shinde’s rebellion. He had earlier too said he was approached by the rivals to switch sides. The Sena vs Sena fight is now being heard in the Supreme Court.
