News Analysis India

Tag: Sanjay Raut

  • Sena’s Sanjay Raut taken to court in Rs 1,034-crore Patra Chawl land scam case; all you need to know

    By Online Desk

    Shiv Sena leader and four-time Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut, who was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday around 12 am, has been produced before a Special Court under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, where ED cases are usually heard.

    The 18-hour dramatic series of events started with a raid by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Raut’s home at dawn in Mumbai’s Bhandup area on Sunday, where they conducted a search, questioned Raut, and by evening, summoned him for questioning at the agency’s local office.

    The team also seized Rs 11.5 lakh in cash during the search, officials said.

    Raut, 60, was taken into custody by the ED but was not arrested. He spent the night at the ED’s zonal office in south Mumbai’s Ballard Estate.

    He was taken into custody at 12:05 am on Monday under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) as he was not cooperating in the probe, officials claimed.

    The ED had sent several summons to the Sena leader which he skipped, following which he has been arrested. Earlier, a month back he had even dared the ED to arrest him.

    I am being victimised: Raut
    The Shiv Sena leader earlier took to Twitter to allege that he was being victimised on the instructions of the Centre.

    Shiv Sena firmly behind us: MP’s brother Sunil Raut
    Sanjay Raut’s brother and Shiv Sena MLA Sunil Raut said that with the arrest, the BJP is trying to muzzle the voice of Shiv Sena.

    “We are not scared by all this bogus actions… Raut saheb will fight, we all shall fight… the Shiv Sena will fight but will not now before the BJP, Sanjay Raut will never leave the Sena,” he said.

    He said Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena stands firmly behind the Raut family.

    “The Shiv Sena and Uddhav ji stand solidly behind us. Our legal fight (over Sanjay Raut’s arrest) has begun,” the Shiv Sena MLA from Vikhroli told PTI.

    The ED probe pertains to alleged financial irregularities in the redevelopment of Patra ‘chawl’ and related financial property transactions involving his wife and alleged associates.

    In April, the ED provisionally attached assets worth over Rs 11.15 crore belonging to Sanjay Raut’s wife Varsha Raut and two of his associates as part of this investigation.

    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 Pvt Ltd, at Palghar, Saphale (a town in Palghar) and Padgha (in Thane district).

    These assets also include a flat in Mumbai’s suburb Dadar held by Varsha Raut and eight plots at Kihim beach in Alibaug jointly held by Varsha Raut and Swapna Patkar, wife of Sujit Patkar, a “close associate” of Sanjay Raut, the ED had said.

    The ED came to know during the probe that Pravin allegedly paid Rs 55 lakh to Varsha. This was paid from the bank account of Pravin’s wife.

    The money was termed as proceeds of crime by the ED.

    It was also alleged that the travel expenses of Sanjay Raut were borne by Pravin which included his hotel stay and air tickets.

    The ED had earlier sent Pune businessman Avinash Bhosale into custody in the DHFL-Yes Bank case, and the sources claimed that they wanted to grill Raut in this matter too.

    Sources claimed that the Patra Chawl case of ED is also linked to the DHFL case.

    Security personnel stand guard at the residence of Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut during a raid by by ED officials, in Mumbai. (Photo | PTI)

    Who is Raut?

    Raut is a close aide of Shiv Sena President and former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, plus the Chief Spokesperson of Shiv Sena and executive editor of the SAAMANA Group of newspapers.

    Over the years, Raut became one of the most virulent critics of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) besides rallying together the various state and national Opposition parties.

    He had gone under the scanner of ED since the time he played a crucial role in the formation of the erstwhile Maha Vikas Aghadi government which fell on June 29 after 31 months in power.

    (With inputs from PTI, ANI, IANS, and Express News Service)

    Shiv Sena leader and four-time Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut, who was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday around 12 am, has been produced before a Special Court under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, where ED cases are usually heard.

    The 18-hour dramatic series of events started with a raid by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Raut’s home at dawn in Mumbai’s Bhandup area on Sunday, where they conducted a search, questioned Raut, and by evening, summoned him for questioning at the agency’s local office.

    The team also seized Rs 11.5 lakh in cash during the search, officials said.

    Raut, 60, was taken into custody by the ED but was not arrested. He spent the night at the ED’s zonal office in south Mumbai’s Ballard Estate.

    He was taken into custody at 12:05 am on Monday under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) as he was not cooperating in the probe, officials claimed.

    The ED had sent several summons to the Sena leader which he skipped, following which he has been arrested. Earlier, a month back he had even dared the ED to arrest him.

    I am being victimised: Raut
    The Shiv Sena leader earlier took to Twitter to allege that he was being victimised on the instructions of the Centre.

    Shiv Sena firmly behind us: MP’s brother Sunil Raut
    Sanjay Raut’s brother and Shiv Sena MLA Sunil Raut said that with the arrest, the BJP is trying to muzzle the voice of Shiv Sena.

    “We are not scared by all this bogus actions… Raut saheb will fight, we all shall fight… the Shiv Sena will fight but will not now before the BJP, Sanjay Raut will never leave the Sena,” he said.

    He said Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena stands firmly behind the Raut family.

    “The Shiv Sena and Uddhav ji stand solidly behind us. Our legal fight (over Sanjay Raut’s arrest) has begun,” the Shiv Sena MLA from Vikhroli told PTI.

    What is the case about?
    The ED probe pertains to alleged financial irregularities in the redevelopment of Patra ‘chawl’ and related financial property transactions involving his wife and alleged associates.

    In April, the ED provisionally attached assets worth over Rs 11.15 crore belonging to Sanjay Raut’s wife Varsha Raut and two of his associates as part of this investigation.

    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 Pvt Ltd, at Palghar, Saphale (a town in Palghar) and Padgha (in Thane district).

    These assets also include a flat in Mumbai’s suburb Dadar held by Varsha Raut and eight plots at Kihim beach in Alibaug jointly held by Varsha Raut and Swapna Patkar, wife of Sujit Patkar, a “close associate” of Sanjay Raut, the ED had said.

    The ED came to know during the probe that Pravin allegedly paid Rs 55 lakh to Varsha. This was paid from the bank account of Pravin’s wife.

    The money was termed as proceeds of crime by the ED.

    It was also alleged that the travel expenses of Sanjay Raut were borne by Pravin which included his hotel stay and air tickets.

    The ED had earlier sent Pune businessman Avinash Bhosale into custody in the DHFL-Yes Bank case, and the sources claimed that they wanted to grill Raut in this matter too.

    Sources claimed that the Patra Chawl case of ED is also linked to the DHFL case.

    Security personnel stand guard at the residence of Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut during a raid by by ED officials, in Mumbai. (Photo | PTI)

    Who is Raut?

    Raut is a close aide of Shiv Sena President and former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, plus the Chief Spokesperson of Shiv Sena and executive editor of the SAAMANA Group of newspapers.

    Over the years, Raut became one of the most virulent critics of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) besides rallying together the various state and national Opposition parties.

    He had gone under the scanner of ED since the time he played a crucial role in the formation of the erstwhile Maha Vikas Aghadi government which fell on June 29 after 31 months in power.

    (With inputs from PTI, ANI, IANS, and Express News Service)

  • Sanjay Raut taken to hospital after spending night in ED office; Shiv Sena to protest across Maharashtra

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials on Monday took Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut to a government hospital for check up, after which he will be produced in a special court here.

    Raut, who spent the night in ED’s south Mumbai office after his arrest in a money laundering case, was taken to the hospital after 12.30 pm.

    He was seen waving to media personnel gathered outside the agency’s office.

    ED arrested Raut on Sunday in a case linked to alleged irregularities in the redevelopment of a Mumbai chawl after conducting a nine-hour search at his residence, during which Rs 11.5 lakh in cash was seized, officials said.

    Raut, 60, was arrested after over six hours of questioning at the ED’s zonal office in south Mumbai’s Ballard Estate shortly after Sunday midnight.

    He was taken into custody at 12:05 am on Monday under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act as he was not cooperating in the probe, the officials claimed.

    The Rajya Sabha MP of the Sena, led by former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, will be produced before a special PMLA court in Mumbai later in the day, where the ED will seek his custody.

    A team of ED had on Sunday reached his residence in Mumbai’s Bhandup area, where they conducted a search, questioned Raut, and by evening, took him for questioning at the agency’s south Mumbai office.

    Raut’s arrest is an attempt to divert the anger brewing against Maharashtra Governor B S Koshyari’s remarks on Mumbai, party leader Arvind Sawant claimed on Monday.

    He said protests will be held in the state spontaneously against the arrest of Raut, a vocal critic of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Centre.

    “The Enforcement Directorate’s action is to divert the anger brewing after the comments made by Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari against Maharashtra.

    We are not fools who do not understand this diversionary action,” said Sawant, the Lok Sabha MP from Mumbai South.

    Sanjay Raut was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate probing a money laundering case after Sunday midnight.

    Koshyari had triggered a row with his remarks that if Gujaratis and Rajasthanis are moved out of Maharashtra, especially from Mumbai and Thane, “you will be left with no money and Mumbai will not remain a financial capital”.

    He later clarified that his remarks were misconstrued.

    MUMBAI: Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials on Monday took Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut to a government hospital for check up, after which he will be produced in a special court here.

    Raut, who spent the night in ED’s south Mumbai office after his arrest in a money laundering case, was taken to the hospital after 12.30 pm.

    He was seen waving to media personnel gathered outside the agency’s office.

    ED arrested Raut on Sunday in a case linked to alleged irregularities in the redevelopment of a Mumbai chawl after conducting a nine-hour search at his residence, during which Rs 11.5 lakh in cash was seized, officials said.

    Raut, 60, was arrested after over six hours of questioning at the ED’s zonal office in south Mumbai’s Ballard Estate shortly after Sunday midnight.

    He was taken into custody at 12:05 am on Monday under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act as he was not cooperating in the probe, the officials claimed.

    The Rajya Sabha MP of the Sena, led by former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, will be produced before a special PMLA court in Mumbai later in the day, where the ED will seek his custody.

    A team of ED had on Sunday reached his residence in Mumbai’s Bhandup area, where they conducted a search, questioned Raut, and by evening, took him for questioning at the agency’s south Mumbai office.

    Raut’s arrest is an attempt to divert the anger brewing against Maharashtra Governor B S Koshyari’s remarks on Mumbai, party leader Arvind Sawant claimed on Monday.

    He said protests will be held in the state spontaneously against the arrest of Raut, a vocal critic of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Centre.

    “The Enforcement Directorate’s action is to divert the anger brewing after the comments made by Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari against Maharashtra.

    We are not fools who do not understand this diversionary action,” said Sawant, the Lok Sabha MP from Mumbai South.

    Sanjay Raut was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate probing a money laundering case after Sunday midnight.

    Koshyari had triggered a row with his remarks that if Gujaratis and Rajasthanis are moved out of Maharashtra, especially from Mumbai and Thane, “you will be left with no money and Mumbai will not remain a financial capital”.

    He later clarified that his remarks were misconstrued.

  • Ruckus continues in Parliament as Opposition protests over Sanjay Raut arrest, Congress MPs’ suspension

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Rajya Sabha proceedings on Monday were adjourned for about an hour after protests over arrest of Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut and other issues.

    Even as officials papers were being laid, Shiv Sena MPs were up on their feet protesting against the arrest of Raut.

    Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu said the matter has nothing to do with the House and asked them to go back to their seats.

    Other opposition MPs also joined in raising issues such as price rise.

    The Shiv Sena as well as TMC MPs then moved into the well of the House.

    “Go back to your seats. You cannot use the House to settle the scores outside,” Naidu said before adjourning the proceedings till 12 noon.

    The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested Raut in a money laundering case linked to alleged irregularities in the redevelopment of a Mumbai ‘chawl’ after conducting a nine-hour search at his residence.

    The Lok Sabha was on Monday adjourned till 12 noon after a few minutes of business following protests by opposition leaders demanding withdrawal of suspension of four Congress MPs.

    As the House met at 11 am after the weekend break, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla congratulated Indian sportspersons who have brought laurels to the country in the ongoing Commonwealth Games.

    While Mirabai Chanu, Jeremy Lalrinnunga and Achinta Sheuli have bagged gold, Bindyarani Devi and Sanket Sargar got silver and Gururaja Poojary got bronze, he noted.

    Birla congratulated the medal winners and all players participating in the sporting event and said they are the inspiration for the youth of the country.

    When he took up questions related to different ministries, Congress members started protests demanding the withdrawal of suspension of four of their colleagues.

    Initially, they protested standing at the aisles but later came to the well of the House.

    The speaker appealed to them to go back to their seats and allow the House to run.

    Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Arjun Ram Meghwal accused the opposition of disrupting the proceedings and not allowing the House to function by their protests.

    Birla said such protests were not good as it was lowering the dignity of the House.

    The opposition did not heed to the appeals following which the speaker adjourned the House till 12 noon.

    Four Congress MPs — Manickam Tagore, Ramya Haridas, TN Prathapan and S Jothimani — were suspended last Monday for the rest of the session for protests and carrying placards inside the House.

    Lok Sabha proceedings have been disrupted mostly due to the opposition protests, seeking a discussion on price rise and GST rate hike on some food items, even since the Monsoon Session began on July 18.

    NEW DELHI: Rajya Sabha proceedings on Monday were adjourned for about an hour after protests over arrest of Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut and other issues.

    Even as officials papers were being laid, Shiv Sena MPs were up on their feet protesting against the arrest of Raut.

    Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu said the matter has nothing to do with the House and asked them to go back to their seats.

    Other opposition MPs also joined in raising issues such as price rise.

    The Shiv Sena as well as TMC MPs then moved into the well of the House.

    “Go back to your seats. You cannot use the House to settle the scores outside,” Naidu said before adjourning the proceedings till 12 noon.

    The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested Raut in a money laundering case linked to alleged irregularities in the redevelopment of a Mumbai ‘chawl’ after conducting a nine-hour search at his residence.

    The Lok Sabha was on Monday adjourned till 12 noon after a few minutes of business following protests by opposition leaders demanding withdrawal of suspension of four Congress MPs.

    As the House met at 11 am after the weekend break, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla congratulated Indian sportspersons who have brought laurels to the country in the ongoing Commonwealth Games.

    While Mirabai Chanu, Jeremy Lalrinnunga and Achinta Sheuli have bagged gold, Bindyarani Devi and Sanket Sargar got silver and Gururaja Poojary got bronze, he noted.

    Birla congratulated the medal winners and all players participating in the sporting event and said they are the inspiration for the youth of the country.

    When he took up questions related to different ministries, Congress members started protests demanding the withdrawal of suspension of four of their colleagues.

    Initially, they protested standing at the aisles but later came to the well of the House.

    The speaker appealed to them to go back to their seats and allow the House to run.

    Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Arjun Ram Meghwal accused the opposition of disrupting the proceedings and not allowing the House to function by their protests.

    Birla said such protests were not good as it was lowering the dignity of the House.

    The opposition did not heed to the appeals following which the speaker adjourned the House till 12 noon.

    Four Congress MPs — Manickam Tagore, Ramya Haridas, TN Prathapan and S Jothimani — were suspended last Monday for the rest of the session for protests and carrying placards inside the House.

    Lok Sabha proceedings have been disrupted mostly due to the opposition protests, seeking a discussion on price rise and GST rate hike on some food items, even since the Monsoon Session began on July 18.

  • Sanjay Raut arrest: Shiv Sena firmly behind us; will protest against arrest, says MP’s brother

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Shiv Sena workers will stage protests against the arrest of the party MP Sanjay Raut by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), his MLA brother Sunil Raut said on Monday.

    He said Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena stands firmly behind the Raut family.

    “The Shiv Sena and Uddhav ji stand solidly behind us. Our legal fight (over Sanjay Raut’s arrest) has begun,” the Shiv Sena MLA from Vikhroli told PTI.

    The ED arrested Sanjay Raut late in Sunday night in a money laundering case linked to alleged irregularities in the redevelopment of a Mumbai ‘chawl’ after conducting a search at his residence, during which Rs 11.5 lakh in cash was seized.

    Raut, 60, was arrested after over six hours of questioning at the ED’s zonal office in south Mumbai’s Ballard Estate shortly after Sunday midnight.

    He was taken into custody at 12:05 am on Monday under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) as he was not cooperating in the probe, the officials claimed.

    The Rajya Sabha MP of the Sena, led by former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, will be produced before a special PMLA court in Mumbai later in the day, where the Enforcement Directorate will seek his custody.

    An agency team had on Sunday reached his residence in Mumbai’s Bhandup area, where they conducted a search, questioned Raut, and by evening, summoned him for questioning at the agency’s local office.

    The team also seized Rs 11.5 lakh in cash during the search, the officials said.

    Before entering the ED office, Raut told reporters that the federal agency’s action was aimed at trying to weaken the Shiv Sena and Maharashtra and that a “false” case was prepared against him.

    The ED probe pertains to alleged financial irregularities in the redevelopment of Patra ‘chawl’ and related financial property transactions involving his wife and alleged associates.

    In April, the ED provisionally attached assets worth over Rs 11.15 crore belonging to his wife Varsha Raut and two of his associates as part of this investigation.

    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 Pvt Ltd, at Palghar, Saphale (town in Palghar) and Padgha (in Thane district).

    These assets also include a flat in Mumbai’s suburb Dadar held by Varsha Raut and eight plots at Kihim beach in Alibaug jointly held by Varsha Raut and Swapna Patkar, wife of Sujit Patkar, a “close associate” of Sanjay Raut, the ED had said.

    The agency is understood to have questioned the Sena leader about his “business and other links” with Pravin Raut and Patkar and also about the property deals involving his wife.

    MUMBAI: Shiv Sena workers will stage protests against the arrest of the party MP Sanjay Raut by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), his MLA brother Sunil Raut said on Monday.

    He said Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena stands firmly behind the Raut family.

    “The Shiv Sena and Uddhav ji stand solidly behind us. Our legal fight (over Sanjay Raut’s arrest) has begun,” the Shiv Sena MLA from Vikhroli told PTI.

    The ED arrested Sanjay Raut late in Sunday night in a money laundering case linked to alleged irregularities in the redevelopment of a Mumbai ‘chawl’ after conducting a search at his residence, during which Rs 11.5 lakh in cash was seized.

    Raut, 60, was arrested after over six hours of questioning at the ED’s zonal office in south Mumbai’s Ballard Estate shortly after Sunday midnight.

    He was taken into custody at 12:05 am on Monday under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) as he was not cooperating in the probe, the officials claimed.

    The Rajya Sabha MP of the Sena, led by former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, will be produced before a special PMLA court in Mumbai later in the day, where the Enforcement Directorate will seek his custody.

    An agency team had on Sunday reached his residence in Mumbai’s Bhandup area, where they conducted a search, questioned Raut, and by evening, summoned him for questioning at the agency’s local office.

    The team also seized Rs 11.5 lakh in cash during the search, the officials said.

    Before entering the ED office, Raut told reporters that the federal agency’s action was aimed at trying to weaken the Shiv Sena and Maharashtra and that a “false” case was prepared against him.

    The ED probe pertains to alleged financial irregularities in the redevelopment of Patra ‘chawl’ and related financial property transactions involving his wife and alleged associates.

    In April, the ED provisionally attached assets worth over Rs 11.15 crore belonging to his wife Varsha Raut and two of his associates as part of this investigation.

    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 Pvt Ltd, at Palghar, Saphale (town in Palghar) and Padgha (in Thane district).

    These assets also include a flat in Mumbai’s suburb Dadar held by Varsha Raut and eight plots at Kihim beach in Alibaug jointly held by Varsha Raut and Swapna Patkar, wife of Sujit Patkar, a “close associate” of Sanjay Raut, the ED had said.

    The agency is understood to have questioned the Sena leader about his “business and other links” with Pravin Raut and Patkar and also about the property deals involving his wife.

  • FIR against Sanjay Raut on complaint of woman witness in money laundering case 

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: City police on Sunday registered a First Information Report (FIR) against Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on the charge of insulting the modesty of a woman on the complaint lodged by a witness in a money laundering case being probed by the Enforcement Directorate claiming she was threatened.

    The complaint was lodged at Vakola police station by the witness, Swapna Patkar, a police official said on Sunday night.

    Patkar had approached the police recently claiming she was given rape and murder threat in a typed paper, which was inserted in a newspaper delivered to her on July 15, he said.

    Recently, an audio clip in which a male voice can be heard threatening a woman using foul language went viral.

    On Saturday, a non-cognisable (NC) case was registered under section 507 (Criminal intimidation by an anonymous communication) of the Indian Penal Code, which was converted into an FIR on Sunday, the official said.

    ALSO READ | ED detains Sena’s Sanjay Raut in Patra Chawl land scam case after day-long raids

    Police have invoked sections 504 (insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), 506 (Punishment for criminal intimidation), and 509 (intending to insult the modesty of a woman) of the IPC against Raut.

    Meanwhile, Patkar on Sunday registered her statement with the police, the official said, adding that she was provided security as requested by her.

    Earlier in the day, the ED conducted a search at the residence of Raut in connection with the money laundering case linked to the Patra Chawl land ‘scam’ and he was taken to the ED office in south Mumbai.

    MUMBAI: City police on Sunday registered a First Information Report (FIR) against Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on the charge of insulting the modesty of a woman on the complaint lodged by a witness in a money laundering case being probed by the Enforcement Directorate claiming she was threatened.

    The complaint was lodged at Vakola police station by the witness, Swapna Patkar, a police official said on Sunday night.

    Patkar had approached the police recently claiming she was given rape and murder threat in a typed paper, which was inserted in a newspaper delivered to her on July 15, he said.

    Recently, an audio clip in which a male voice can be heard threatening a woman using foul language went viral.

    On Saturday, a non-cognisable (NC) case was registered under section 507 (Criminal intimidation by an anonymous communication) of the Indian Penal Code, which was converted into an FIR on Sunday, the official said.

    ALSO READ | ED detains Sena’s Sanjay Raut in Patra Chawl land scam case after day-long raids

    Police have invoked sections 504 (insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), 506 (Punishment for criminal intimidation), and 509 (intending to insult the modesty of a woman) of the IPC against Raut.

    Meanwhile, Patkar on Sunday registered her statement with the police, the official said, adding that she was provided security as requested by her.

    Earlier in the day, the ED conducted a search at the residence of Raut in connection with the money laundering case linked to the Patra Chawl land ‘scam’ and he was taken to the ED office in south Mumbai.

  • ED may arrest Raut: Uddhav tells Sena workers; calls it ‘conspiracy’ to finish off party

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday said the Enforcement Directorate (ED) may arrest party leader Sanjay Raut, and alleged that the agency’s ongoing action against him was part of a “conspiracy” to finish off the party.

    Thackeray was addressing the party leaders and workers from Thane district at his residence ‘Matoshree’ here on the day the ED is conducting searches at Raut’s house in connection with a money laundering probe.

    “ED guests are at Sanjay Raut’s house. He may get arrested. What conspiracy is this? Shiv Sena gives strength to Hindus and Marathi people and hence there is a conspiracy to finish off the party,” he said.

    Thackeray said people whom Shiv Sena helped to grow politically are now switching loyalty.

    “Arjun Khotkar (former minister who joined the rebel camp) at least admitted that he was revolting under pressure. (Late Sena leader) Anand Dighe showed Shiv Sainiks what loyalty is when he was jailed for two years,” he said. Thackeray said Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari insulted Marathi and Maharashtra through his remarks on Mumbai. “He has to be shown Kolhapuri chappals,” he said.

    READ HERE | ‘No one can insult Mumbai, Marathi folk’: Shinde on Governor’s remark; Uddhav demands apology

    Koshyari had said on Friday evening that if Gujaratis and Rajasthanis are not there, Mumbai’s flow of money would dry up and it would cease to remain the financial capital of India.

    “What was the reaction of those who have become slaves. It was very mild. Just said we don’t agree,” he said in a veiled reference to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who led the rebellion against the party.

    “The Chief Justice of India has also said the opposition should not be considered enemies. But when we were allies, we were considered as enemies,” Thackeray said without naming the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

    He said the party needs workers who are fearless and committed to fight injustice.

    ALSO READ | ED detains Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut in Patra Chawl land scam case

    Shiv Sena workers from Thane under the leadership of party MP Rajan Vichare called on Thackeray to pledge their support to him.

    Talking to reporters, Vichare said, “We came to assure Uddhavji that we are with him. Shiv Sena got its first taste of power when it won the Thane civic polls. Thane will continue to be solidly behind Uddhavji.”

    Dighe’s nephew Kedar Dighe and Anita Birje, Thane district’s first woman Shiv Sainik, also met Thackeray along with Vichare and others.

    MUMBAI: Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday said the Enforcement Directorate (ED) may arrest party leader Sanjay Raut, and alleged that the agency’s ongoing action against him was part of a “conspiracy” to finish off the party.

    Thackeray was addressing the party leaders and workers from Thane district at his residence ‘Matoshree’ here on the day the ED is conducting searches at Raut’s house in connection with a money laundering probe.

    “ED guests are at Sanjay Raut’s house. He may get arrested. What conspiracy is this? Shiv Sena gives strength to Hindus and Marathi people and hence there is a conspiracy to finish off the party,” he said.

    Thackeray said people whom Shiv Sena helped to grow politically are now switching loyalty.

    “Arjun Khotkar (former minister who joined the rebel camp) at least admitted that he was revolting under pressure. (Late Sena leader) Anand Dighe showed Shiv Sainiks what loyalty is when he was jailed for two years,” he said. Thackeray said Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari insulted Marathi and Maharashtra through his remarks on Mumbai. “He has to be shown Kolhapuri chappals,” he said.

    READ HERE | ‘No one can insult Mumbai, Marathi folk’: Shinde on Governor’s remark; Uddhav demands apology

    Koshyari had said on Friday evening that if Gujaratis and Rajasthanis are not there, Mumbai’s flow of money would dry up and it would cease to remain the financial capital of India.

    “What was the reaction of those who have become slaves. It was very mild. Just said we don’t agree,” he said in a veiled reference to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who led the rebellion against the party.

    “The Chief Justice of India has also said the opposition should not be considered enemies. But when we were allies, we were considered as enemies,” Thackeray said without naming the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

    He said the party needs workers who are fearless and committed to fight injustice.

    ALSO READ | ED detains Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut in Patra Chawl land scam case

    Shiv Sena workers from Thane under the leadership of party MP Rajan Vichare called on Thackeray to pledge their support to him.

    Talking to reporters, Vichare said, “We came to assure Uddhavji that we are with him. Shiv Sena got its first taste of power when it won the Thane civic polls. Thane will continue to be solidly behind Uddhavji.”

    Dighe’s nephew Kedar Dighe and Anita Birje, Thane district’s first woman Shiv Sainik, also met Thackeray along with Vichare and others.

  • ED detains Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut in Patra Chawl land scam case

    By ANI

    MUMBAI: The Enforcement Directorate officials on Sunday detained Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut in connection with the Patra Chawl land scam case in Mumbai after hours of conducting raids at his residence.

    Earlier in the day, the ED conducted raids at Raut’s residence. ED sleuths reached Raut’s residence around 7 am today.

    On June 28 this year, Sanjay Raut was summoned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the prevention of the money laundering case pertaining to the Rs 1,034 crore Patra Chawl land scam.

    Refusing to join the probe and citing the Monsoon Session of Parliament as a reason for not joining the probe, he had then dared the probe agency to arrest him. Later, he reached the ED office.

    The ED, which took Pune-based businessman Avinash Bhosale into custody earlier in connection with the DHFL-Yes Bank case, wants to grill Raut in this matter too, as per sources. They claimed that Patra Chawl case of ED is also linked to the DHFL case.

    In April, the ED provisionally attached assets worth over Rs 11.15 crore of Raut’s wife Varsha Raut and two of his associates as part of this investigation.

    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 Pvt Ltd, at Palghar, Saphale (town in Palghar) and Padgha (in Thane district).

    The attached properties also include a flat in Mumbai’s suburb Dadar held by Varsha Raut and eight plots at Kihim beach in Alibaug jointly held by Varsha Raut and Swapna Patkar, wife of Sujit Patkar, the ED said in a statement.

    According to the ED, Sujit Patkar is a close associate of Sanjay Raut. After arresting Pravin Raut in February, the ED had said he appears to be “acting as a front” or in collusion with some influential person(s).

    The agency had said during the probe it was revealed he made payments to certain “politically exposed persons”.

    MUMBAI: The Enforcement Directorate officials on Sunday detained Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut in connection with the Patra Chawl land scam case in Mumbai after hours of conducting raids at his residence.

    Earlier in the day, the ED conducted raids at Raut’s residence. ED sleuths reached Raut’s residence around 7 am today.

    On June 28 this year, Sanjay Raut was summoned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the prevention of the money laundering case pertaining to the Rs 1,034 crore Patra Chawl land scam.

    Refusing to join the probe and citing the Monsoon Session of Parliament as a reason for not joining the probe, he had then dared the probe agency to arrest him. Later, he reached the ED office.

    The ED, which took Pune-based businessman Avinash Bhosale into custody earlier in connection with the DHFL-Yes Bank case, wants to grill Raut in this matter too, as per sources. They claimed that Patra Chawl case of ED is also linked to the DHFL case.

    In April, the ED provisionally attached assets worth over Rs 11.15 crore of Raut’s wife Varsha Raut and two of his associates as part of this investigation.

    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 Pvt Ltd, at Palghar, Saphale (town in Palghar) and Padgha (in Thane district).

    The attached properties also include a flat in Mumbai’s suburb Dadar held by Varsha Raut and eight plots at Kihim beach in Alibaug jointly held by Varsha Raut and Swapna Patkar, wife of Sujit Patkar, the ED said in a statement.

    According to the ED, Sujit Patkar is a close associate of Sanjay Raut. After arresting Pravin Raut in February, the ED had said he appears to be “acting as a front” or in collusion with some influential person(s).

    The agency had said during the probe it was revealed he made payments to certain “politically exposed persons”.

  • Shinde-led Maharashtra government not on strong foundation, will collapse: Sena MP Sanjay Raut

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Sunday claimed the Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government was not based on a strong foundation and will collapse under its own contradictions.

    “We will not give dates on loudspeaker like the BJP. But this government is surely not going to last for long,” Raut told reporters here.

    Even after nearly a month of the formation of the Shinde government, no ministerial portfolios have been allocated, the Sena’s chief spokesperson noted.

    Last month, Eknath Shinde and 39 other Sena legislators revolted against the party leadership, which led to the fall of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government comprising the Sena, NCP and Congress.

    Shinde was on June 30 sworn in as the chief minister and BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis as the deputy CM. Fadnavis recently said the state cabinet expansion will be done soon.

    However, Raut on Sunday claimed, “This double-standard government, formed by theft, will collapse under its own contradictions. It was not based on a strong foundation and will never be.” Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrakant Patil on Saturday said the party decided with a heavy heart that rebel Shiv Sena leader Shinde should become the state’s chief minister instead of Fadnavis.

    Later, BJP leader Ashish Shelar had said it was not the BJP’s or Patil’s own stand, but he was only articulating the feelings of ordinary workers.

    Raut quipped that Patil should be congratulated for his remarks. “The feelings of party workers should have been respected,” he added.

    On Fadnavis referring to Raut as a loudspeaker of which people were fed up, the Sena MP said his “loudspeaker was the voice of people of Maharashtra” and he will continue to put forth their views.

    “Even Fadnavis listens to my loudspeaker. We speak fearlessly what we need to,” he said. The Shiv Sena’s loudspeaker is blaring for 56 years and people are always eager to know what it says, Raut pointed out.

    “You look after your government. How many times will you go to Delhi? There is no ministry even after nearly a month,” he said.

    He hit out at Fadnavis for saying the BJP formed government with the Shiv Sena. “Which Shiv Sena is he talking about? Can there be Shiv Sena without (party founder) Balasaheb and Uddhav Thackeray?” Raut asked.

    He said there was unrest among Shiv Sainiks and people of Maharashtra as to how Balasaheb’s son was betrayed and forced to step down as chief minister. “This government will be washed away by the anger and tears of Shiv Sainiks,” Raut said.

    Raut also claimed that Sena MLA and former Maharashtra minister Aaditya Thackeray’s rallies in the state were getting a huge response from Shiv Sainiks.

    MUMBAI: Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Sunday claimed the Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government was not based on a strong foundation and will collapse under its own contradictions.

    “We will not give dates on loudspeaker like the BJP. But this government is surely not going to last for long,” Raut told reporters here.

    Even after nearly a month of the formation of the Shinde government, no ministerial portfolios have been allocated, the Sena’s chief spokesperson noted.

    Last month, Eknath Shinde and 39 other Sena legislators revolted against the party leadership, which led to the fall of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government comprising the Sena, NCP and Congress.

    Shinde was on June 30 sworn in as the chief minister and BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis as the deputy CM. Fadnavis recently said the state cabinet expansion will be done soon.

    However, Raut on Sunday claimed, “This double-standard government, formed by theft, will collapse under its own contradictions. It was not based on a strong foundation and will never be.” Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrakant Patil on Saturday said the party decided with a heavy heart that rebel Shiv Sena leader Shinde should become the state’s chief minister instead of Fadnavis.

    Later, BJP leader Ashish Shelar had said it was not the BJP’s or Patil’s own stand, but he was only articulating the feelings of ordinary workers.

    Raut quipped that Patil should be congratulated for his remarks. “The feelings of party workers should have been respected,” he added.

    On Fadnavis referring to Raut as a loudspeaker of which people were fed up, the Sena MP said his “loudspeaker was the voice of people of Maharashtra” and he will continue to put forth their views.

    “Even Fadnavis listens to my loudspeaker. We speak fearlessly what we need to,” he said. The Shiv Sena’s loudspeaker is blaring for 56 years and people are always eager to know what it says, Raut pointed out.

    “You look after your government. How many times will you go to Delhi? There is no ministry even after nearly a month,” he said.

    He hit out at Fadnavis for saying the BJP formed government with the Shiv Sena. “Which Shiv Sena is he talking about? Can there be Shiv Sena without (party founder) Balasaheb and Uddhav Thackeray?” Raut asked.

    He said there was unrest among Shiv Sainiks and people of Maharashtra as to how Balasaheb’s son was betrayed and forced to step down as chief minister. “This government will be washed away by the anger and tears of Shiv Sainiks,” Raut said.

    Raut also claimed that Sena MLA and former Maharashtra minister Aaditya Thackeray’s rallies in the state were getting a huge response from Shiv Sainiks.

  • BJP wants to destroy Shiv Sena, hits out MP Sanjay Raut

    By PTI

    NASHIK: Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Friday hit out at the BJP, saying it does not want to just engineer a split in the party, but intends to altogether finish the regional outfit to realise its dream of “breaking” Maharashtra into three parts.

    He also dubbed the newly-installed Eknath Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis government as “illegal”.

    Talking to reporters here in North Maharashtra, the Rajya Sabha MP hit out at rebel Sena MLAs and said they may have returned home, but Shiv Sainiks will ensure they do not get re-elected to the Legislative Assembly whenever polls are held.

    The rebel Sena MLAs first reached Surat from Mumbai on June 21, then flew to Guwahati and also stayed in Goa before returning to the state capital.

    Raut, the Sena’s chief spokesperson, said the rebel MLAs have been changing the reasons for revolting against the party leadership, an act which brought down the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government late last month.

    “The BJP does not want to engineer a split in the Shiv Sena, but it wants to finish the party. Till the time Shiv Sena exists, they cannot realise their dream of breaking Maharashtra into three pieces. They cannot free Mumbai (from Maharashtra till the time Sena exists),” he asserted.

    Slamming the rebel MLAs, Raut said they keep changing the reasons for rebelling against the party leadership — from accusing the Sena of deserting the Hindutva plank to then-Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray’s inaccessibility, to the NCP (which handled the finance portfolio under MVA government) not allocating funds to their constituencies.

    The Sena MP described the new government led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who took oath on June 30, as “illegal”.

    At a time when the disqualification plea of 16 Sena MLAs was pending before the Supreme Court, how can the Governor order a trust vote, Raut asked.

    The Shinde-led government won the trust vote in the Assembly on July 4.

  • BJP made Eknath Shinde Maharashtra CM to wrest Mumbai from Shiv Sena, claims Raut

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Saturday alleged that the BJP has made Eknath Shinde the chief minister of Maharashtra to wrest Mumbai from the Shiv Sena of Bal Thackeray.

    Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray, who stepped down as the chief minister on June 29 following a rebellion by Shinde, removed the latter from the post of ‘Shiv Sena leader’, accusing him of “indulging in anti-party activities”.

    Shinde on Thursday took oath as the chief minister, while BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis was sworn in as his deputy.

    Talking to reporters here, Raut said, “Uddhav Thackeray made it clear yesterday that Shinde doesn’t belong to Shiv Sena. It is now clear that Shinde has been used to defeat Shiv Sena in Mumbai, where civic polls will be held later this year.”

    Shiv Sena has ruled the cash-rich Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for over two decades.

    Raut further said that the Congress was split several times, but the Congress of Indira Gandhi still survives.

    “Similarly, Shiv Sena is where Thackeray is,” he said.

    The Sena MP said Fadnavis needs to be appreciated for taking up the deputy chief minister’s post as Shinde was a junior minister in his government earlier, and added that discipline is maintained and orders are obeyed in BJP.

    Raut, who appeared before the ED on Friday in connection with a money-laundering probe, said he told the central agency officials that he was ready to respond to any questions asked by them.

    “The ED grilled me for 10 hours. They treated me well. I told them if any more information is required, I would submit. There is no need to fear as I haven’t done anything wrong. Truth is with me,” he said.

    As member of Parliament, it was my duty to appear before the investigating agency if they require any information.

    I have no connection with the case they are investigating, he said.

    The ED had summoned the Rajya Sabha member for questioning in the money laundering probe linked to the re-development of a Mumbai ‘chawl’ (tenement) and related financial transactions involving his wife and friends.