On Sunday (July 31) morning, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted searches at the residence of Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut over his alleged involvement in the Patra Chawl land scam case.
The development comes days after the Sena leader skipped two summons of the central agency, citing the ongoing Parliamentary session. Sanjay Raut was directed to depose before the ED’s Mumbai office but he instead sought time till August 7.
The case pertains to the irregularities in the re-development of Patra Chawl near Dharavi and alleged financial transactions involving the wife and 2 associates of Raut.
Mumbai | Enforcement Directorate officials reached Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut’s residence around 7am today; currently conducting a search and questioning Raut, in connection with Patra Chawl land scam case pic.twitter.com/e2bfEVW3s7
— ANI (@ANI) July 31, 2022
Following the Enforcement Directorate’s action, Raut took to Twitter to allege political vendetta. “I have nothing to do with any scam. I am saying this by taking the oath of Shiv Sena chief Balasaheb Thackeray..Balasaheb taught us to fight.. I will continue to fight for Shiv Sena,” he tweeted in Marathi.
कोणत्याही घोटाळ्याशी माझा काडीमात्र संबंध नाही.
— Sanjay Raut (@rautsanjay61) July 31, 2022
शिवसेना प्रमुख बाळासाहेब ठाकरे यांची शपथ घेऊन मी हे सांगत आहे..बाळासाहेबांनी आम्हाला लढायला शिकवलंय..
मी शिवसेनेसाठी लढत राहीन.
“False action..False evidence…I will not leave Shiv Sena…Even if I die, I will not surrender. Jai Maharashtra,” he said in another tweet. Raut was only called in for questioning and there really wasn’t any question about ‘surrendering’ yet.
खोटी कारवाई..
— Sanjay Raut (@rautsanjay61) July 31, 2022
खोटे पुरावे
मी शिवसेना सोडणार नाही..
मरेन पण शरण जाणार नाही
जय महाराष्ट्र
It must be mentioned that the Enforcement Directorate has provisionally attached ₹11.15 crore worth of properties of Varsha Raut, wife of Sanjay Raut, and his 2 associates, namely, Pravin M Raut and Swapna Patkar.
Sanjay Raut was interrogated for 10 hours by the central agency on July 1 this year. He was asked to appear before ED on July 20 but he gave it a miss. A new summon was issued on July 27 but the Sena leader missed it too. This compelled the central agency to land at his residence directly.
