
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday summoned Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut’s wife Varsha in a money laundering case. Summons have been issued after transactions done on Varsha’s account came to the fore. However, the probe agency has remained tight-lipped about the date of questioning.
The ED arrested the Sena MP on Sunday midnight in connection with the alleged financial irregularities in the redevelopment of Patra ‘Chawl’ (old row tenement) in suburban Goregaon and related financial property transactions involving his wife and alleged associates.
A Mumbai court has extended Sanjay Raut’s ED custody till August 8. While extending the custody, the court noted that the ED has made “remarkable progress” in the investigation.
The ED had earlier told the court that Raut and his family received “proceeds of crime” worth over Rs one crore generated out of alleged irregularities in the housing redevelopment project. The 60-year-old Rajya Sabha member is a close associate of Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray. He is also the chief spokesperson of the party and the executive editor of party mouthpiece ‘Saamana’.
‘ED Kept Me in Room That Has No Window’
Sanjay Raut today told a special court in Mumbai that during their custody, the central agency kept him in a room that had no window and ventilation. Raut told this to special court judge MG Deshpande, designated to hear matters related to the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
During the hearing, when the court asked Raut if he had any complaint against the ED, he said there was nothing in particular. However, he added that the room where he has been kept has no window and ventilation. The court then sought an explanation from the probe agency.
Special public prosecutor Hiten Venegaokar, who appeared on behalf of the ED, said Raut was kept in an AC room and hence there was no window. Raut later said that although the AC system is in place there, he cannot use it due to his health condition. The ED then assured the court that he would be kept in a room with proper ventilation.
(with inputs from PTI)
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