Ed Summons Raut Today, He Dares Agency To Arrest Him | Mumbai News

MUMBAI: Summoned by the ED on Tuesday for questioning in two separate money laundering cases, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut called it “a conspiracy” to curb his political activities and dared the central agency to arrest him. Raut said he is headed for a rally in Alibaug that day, the latest in a series of outreach programmes to quell the rebellion within the Shiv Sena, and he was willing to cooperate with the ED, but on another date.
The notice from the agency required him to depose at its south Mumbai office in connection with the acquisition of properties by his wife and associates. Raut said “I just came to know that ED has summoned me,” he tweeted. “Good! There are big political developments in Maharashtra. We, Balasaheb’s Shivsainiks, are fighting a big battle. This is a conspiracy to stop me. Even if you behead me, I won’t take the Guwahati route. Arrest me! Jai Hind!”

Last week the agency registered a case where Dewan Housing Finance Corporation Ltd (DHFL)’s erstwhile promoters Kapil Wadhawan and his brother Dheeraj are accused of a Rs 34,615-crore loan fraud along with builder Sudhakar Shetty of Sahana group. The ED is in the process of taking custody of Pune businessman Avinash Bhosale for questioning in the same case. Agency sources said ED registered the DHFL money laundering case based on a CBI FIR and while examining documents collected during the investigation, found suspicious entries linked to Sanjay Raut.
The second case in which Raut’s been called for questioning is related to a Rs 1,200-crore chawl redevelopment fraud involving the Housing Development and Infrastructure Ltd (HDIL) group, its promoters Rakesh Wadhawan and son Sarang and Sanjay Raut’s associate Pravin Raut. HDIL subsidiary Guru Ashish Construction had taken over redevelopment of Goregaon’s Patra Chawl after entering into an agreement with the land owner Mhada (a state government agency) and residents of the structure. Pravin Raut was a shareholder in Guru Ashish who received Rs 50 crore after he exited the company. Pravin Raut also received Rs 45 crore from a land deal at Palghar from the HDIL group. Earlier, ED arrested had Pravin Raut and chargesheeted him after alleging that “Pravin Raut received Rs 112 crore between 2008 and 2010 from HDIL in multiple instalments. He failed to give valid reasons.”

The ED suspects that Pravin Raut is a front for some influential persons including politicians. In April, the ED had attached a flat in Mumbai owned by Sanjay Raut’s wife Varsha and eight other land parcels jointly owned by her and another businessman’s wife in Alibaug, collectively valued at Rs 11 crore. ED had alleged that these properties were purchased through money diverted by Pravin Raut.
Sanjay Raut did not comment on the ED’s allegations about his involvement.

BJP targeting those speaking truth: Didi
West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee on Monday alleged the BJP government was using central agencies to target politicians who were raising their voice for the truth, reports Mohammad Asif. “Today I got to know that the ED sent summons to a Shiv Sena leader in Maharashtra. They are doing it across states,” she said. “BJP is doing whatever it wants to do… It is using central agencies like CBI and ED against those who are speaking the truth.” Her statements came at a public rally in East Burdwan’s Goda. Last week, Banerjee had accused the BJP-led Centre of “bulldozing democracy, purchasing MLAs” and indulging in “hawala” politics to destabilise elected state governments. On June 23, referring to rebel Shiv Sena MLAs camping in Guwahati, Banerjee said, “They can send these MLAs to Bengal instead of Assam. We will give them good hospitality and, don’t worry, we will take care of democracy too.”