Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut arrested by ED in money laundering case

Sanjay Raut, a Shiv Sena MP, was detained by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a money laundering case linked to alleged irregularities in the redevelopment of a Mumbai ‘chawl.’

After more than six hours of questioning at the ED's zonal office in south Mumbai's Ballard Estate, Raut, 60, was taken into custody around 12:05 am on Monday under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) as he was not cooperating in the probe. 

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.

Raut will be produced before a special PMLA court in Mumbai later in the day, where the Enforcement Directorate will seek his custody.

Earlier on Sunday, an ED team reached his residence and conducted an extensive search and also allegedly seized Rs 11.5 lakh in cash. 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.