Patra Chawl land case: Now, Enforcement Directorate summons Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut's wife

Earlier, a Mumbai court extended Sanjay Raut's ED custody till August 8 in the alleged Patra Chawl land scam case.

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New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has summoned arrested Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut’s wife Varsha Raut in connection with the alleged money laundering in Patra Chawl land case, ANI reported. “Summons issued after transactions done on Varsha Raut's account came to light,” the ED said. The date of Varsha Raut’s summon is not known as of now. Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut was arrested by the ED on late Sunday night. Earlier today, a special court in Mumbai extended Sanjay Raut's ED custody till August 8.

As per PTI, Varsha Raut will likely be questioned with her husband and some other accused in the case when she deposes before the ED in its office in Ballard Estate later this week.

The ED had arrested Sanjay Raut on Sunday midnight after conducting hour-long searches at his residence in connection with the alleged irregularities in the re-development of the Mumbai 'chawl' and related transactions concerning his wife and 'associates'. 

Raut told the court in Mumbai today that during his custody, the ED has kept him in a room with no window and ventilation. Special public prosecutor Hiten Venegaokar, who appeared on behalf of ED, said the room has AC and hence no windows, adding that he would now be kept in a room with proper ventilation. 

On Monday, the court had remanded the Shiv Sena spokesperson in ED custody till August 4. The central probe agency had 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. In April, the central probe agency had provisionally attached assets worth over Rs 11.15 crore of Varsha Raut and two "associates" of Sanjay Raut as part of its investigation, PTI reported. 

Raut, senior Shiv Sena leader and Rajya Sabha member, has maintained that he has not done anything wrong and claimed that he was being targeted due to "political vendetta".

(With agency inputs)