Sanjay Raut's first reaction after ED searches his residence: 'Maharashtra, Shiv Sena will...'

The senior Shiv Sena leader has been summoned by Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case linked to alleged irregularities in the re-development of a Mumbai 'chawl' and related transactions involving his wife and 'associates'.

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New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Sunday (July 31, 2022) conducted a search at Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut's residence in Mumbai in connection with a money laundering case. The action follows multiple summons issued by the law enforcement agency against Raut, the latest being on July 27. The Rajya Sabha MP was summoned for questioning by the ED in a money laundering case linked to alleged irregularities in the re-development of Mumbai's Patra 'chawl' and related transactions involving his wife and 'associates'. 

The senior Shiv Sena leader, who is in the Uddhav Thackeray camp, has, however, denied any wrongdoing and alleged that he was being targeted due to political vendetta.

Mumbai | Enforcement Directorate officials conduct search & questioning at the residence of Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut, in the Patra Chawl land scam case pic.twitter.com/eE0E9mxatl — ANI (@ANI) July 31, 2022

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

Will not surrender, leave Shiv Sena: Sanjay Raut after ED searches his home

Meanwhile, Sanjay Raut took to his official Twitter account after ED officials searched his residence and said that Maharashtra and Shiv Sena "will continue to fight".

"Even if I die, I will not surrender," Raut wrote in Marathi and added that he will not leave Shiv Sena.

खोटी कारवाई..
खोटे पुरावे
मी शिवसेना सोडणार नाही..
मरेन पण शरण जाणार नाही
जय महाराष्ट्र — Sanjay Raut (@rautsanjay61) July 31, 2022

"I have nothing to do with any scam. I am saying this by taking the oath of Shiv Sena chief Balasaheb Thackeray," Raut reiterated.

कोणत्याही घोटाळ्याशी माझा काडीमात्र संबंध नाही.
शिवसेना प्रमुख बाळासाहेब ठाकरे यांची शपथ घेऊन मी हे सांगत आहे..बाळासाहेबांनी आम्हाला लढायला शिकवलंय..
मी शिवसेनेसाठी लढत राहीन. — Sanjay Raut (@rautsanjay61) July 31, 2022

The development comes amid a rebellion in the Shiv Sena, with a tussle over the party symbol and the control of the organisation between Uddhav Thackeray and current Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

Why is ED questioning Sanjay Raut?

The Rajya Sabha MP was questioned in the case on July 1, when he had spent about 10 hours with the investigating officer during which his statement was recorded under the criminal sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Earlier in April, the ED had provisionally attached assets worth over Rs 11.15 crore of Raut's wife Varsha Raut, and two of his associates as part of its probe. The attached properties are in the form of land held by Pravin M Raut, Sanjay Raut's aide and a former director of Guru Ashish Construction Private Limited, at Palghar, Saphale (a town in Palghar) and Padgha (in Thane district).

The properties also include a flat in Mumbai suburb Dadar held by Varsha Raut and eight plots at the Kihim beach in Alibaug jointly held by Varsha Raut and Swapna Patkar, the wife of Sujit Patkar, a "close associate" of Sanjay Raut, the ED had said.

The agency reportedly wants to question Sanjay Raut to know about his "business and other links" with Pravin Raut and Patkar and also about the property deals involving his wife.

Pravin Raut was arrested by the ED in a probe linked to a Rs 1,034-crore alleged land scam related to the re-development of the Patra "chawl" in Mumbai's Goregaon area. He is currently in judicial custody.

(With agency inputs)