By PTI
MUMBAI: Alleging that Enforcement Directorate and some of its officers were acting as an “ATM” for the BJP, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Tuesday said the Mumbai Police were probing “extortion” charges against four officers of the federal anti-money laundering agency and that some of them will go to jail.
Addressing a news conference here, Raut said a complaint has been lodged with the Mumbai Police to probe corruption and the extortion racket.
Separately, the Mumbai Police is probing BJP leader Kirit Somaiya’s business relations with Rakesh Wadhwan, one of the accused in the PMC bank scam, Raut said.
He alleged that whenever Enforcement Directorate raids any company, it has transferred money to firms belonging to one Jitendra Navlani.
Raut claimed that Navlani was close to many BJP leaders.
“The ED and some of its officials have become an ATM (automated teller machine) for the BJP,” Raut said, maintaining he has shared details of the same with the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
“The Mumbai Police were probing extortion and corruption charges against four ED officials. The Mumbai Police are capable of that. And mark my words…some ED officials will go to jail,” the Rajya Sabha MP claimed.
Raut said one former ED official even contested the election on a BJP ticket and also funded the expenses of 50 party candidates.
He, however, did not share any details on his claim.
He alleged that ED officials and their agents in Mumbai are involved in intimidating and extorting money from builders, developers and corporates.
Raut, however, did not reveal the identities or designations of these ED officials but added that he will name them in his next press conference.
Elaborating further on Navlani, Raut said the former has seven companies.
“Whenever there has been an ED probe, Navlani’s company received money from the company which was raided by the central agency. The companies have no office, no staff,” he claimed.
The Shiv Sena MP also furnished a list of companies, which he claimed, transferred money to Navlani’s firms.
Attacking Somaiya, who has levelled corruption charges against leaders close to the Thackerays, Raut said the BJP leader and his son will go to jail for alleged financial transactions with the Wadhwans.
His remarks came on a day when some Shiv Sena office-bearers, including a leader considered close to Maharashtra Tourism Minister Aaditya Thackeray, were raided by the Income Tax Department.
Raut said the I-T department’s action comes ahead of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation polls.
The BMC which is controlled by the Sena for more than two and half decades — is the country’s richest civic body with a budget more than many smaller states.
The actions of Central agencies are also aimed at destabilising the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government.
He said 14 main people from the MVA government have been targeted by the central agencies so far.
“Your (the BJP’s) actions will boomerang,” Raut said.
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