New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate on Monday produced Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut before a special sessions court in Mumbai where he was sent to judicial custody till August 22.
Initially, he was sent to ED custody till August 4 which was further extended till August 8. The Judicial custody is in connection with the money laundering case linked to irregularities involving the redevelopment of Patra ‘chawl’ in Mumbai.
Seeking the Shiv Sena MP’s custody, the ED had told a special PMLA court in Mumbai that Raut and his family received “proceeds of crime” worth over Rs one crore generated out of alleged irregularities in the housing redevelopment project, PTI reported.
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Sanjay Raut’s Wife Varsha Raut Appeared Before ED
Last week, Sanjay Raut’s wife Varsha Raut appeared before the Enforcement Directorate in connection with the alleged Patra Chawl redevelopment scam. She was quizzed for more than nine hours as the officials recorded her statement.
“I have answered all the questions which ED officials asked,” she told reporter while leaving, as quoted by PTI.
ED officials have not called her again for now, she informed.
Varsha also emphasised that will not leave the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction of Shiv Sena and will continue to support the former Maharashtra chief minister come what may.
In April, the ED had provisionally attached assets worth over Rs 11.15 crore of Varsha Raut and two associates of Sanjay Raut as part of its probe.
Sanjay Raut’s Arrest
Before Sanjay Raut’s arrest, the officials raided his home after which, they detained and questioned him for several hours.
The Shiv Sena slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the arrest, alleging that such targeting of the Opposition did not happen even during the Emergency imposed by the then prime minister Indira Gandhi.
Questioning the “haste” in arresting Raut, the Sena said that he had submitted a letter to the ED stating he will appear before the anti-money laundering agency post the monsoon session of Parliament and the Vice Presidential elections, but the ED didn’t consider it and raided his residence on Sunday morning.
Shiv Sena chief and former CM Uddhav Thackeray described Raut as a hardcore Shiv Sainik of Bal Thackeray who did not succumb to pressure.
(With Agency Inputs)