MUMBAI: A special PMLA court in Mumbai on Monday remanded firebrand Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut into Enforcement Directorate (ED) custody till Aug 4 in a money laundering case related to redevelopment of a Mumbai chawl after the agency found alleged irregularities in its redevelopment. Raut was produced before Special PMLA Court Special Judge M. G. Deshpande where ED’s Special Public Prosecutor Hiten Venegaonkar sought eight days custody and submitted that the offence required a detailed probe.
He said the probe so far revealed that one plot was taken in the name of Sapna Patkar and that Pravin Raut, who is the brother of Sanjay Raut, was his front man. The lawyer said Raut was summoned four times but he appeared before the agency only once. He also tried to tamper with the evidence and key witnesses. Raut’s lawyer Ashok Mundargi opposed the remand application on various grounds while saying that Sanjay Raut’s arrest was politically motivated and told the court that Raut had recently undergone surgery. After hearing both the side, Judge Deshpande said long custody was not warranted and remanded Raut into ED custody only for four days
Attempt to suppress Sena’s voice: Karanjkar
NASHIK: Sanjay Raut has been arrested in a bogus case. Fake evidence is being collected against him. This is planning to isolate Uddhav Thackeray and end Shiv Sena. BJP is taking revengeful action, said Shiv Sena district chief Vijay Karanjkar alleging that the BJP is attempting to suppress the voice of Shiv Sena through ED. Protesting the arrest of its senior leader and MP Raut by the ED, Shiv Sainiks yesterday protested in front of the Shiv Sena office in Shalimar Chowk.
At this time Sena office bearers and workers protested the arrest of MP Raut while raising slogans against BJP. Speaking on the occasion, district chief Karanjkar said that efforts are being made to suppress the voice of Shiv Sena through the investigation agencies like Enforcement Directorate. The district head alleged that Raut was arrested on the pretext of the borrowed money. City chief Sudhakar Badgujar said that everyone stands firmly behind Raut.
A conspiracy has been hatched to implicate Raut falsely through ED. Badgujar alleged that BJP is behind all this. District chief Karanjkar, Sunil Bagul, Datta Gaikwad, Badgujar, Vasant Gite, Vilas Shinde, Shobha Magar, former MLA Yogesh Gholap, Shivaji Bhor along with Shiv Sainiks were present in large number. Police bandobast was made to prevent any untoward incident. On behalf of the women’s wing, some women activists led by leader Shobha Magar tried to block the road in front of Sena office.
