Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut detained by ED in land fraud case

Shiv Sena's Sanjay Raut (File image: PTI)

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on July 31 detained Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut after conducting a search at his residence in Mumbai in connection with Patra Chawl land scam case, media reported.

Mumbai: Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut being taken by ED officials along with them after he was detained in connection with Patra Chawl land scam case from his residence pic.twitter.com/VtjjuQJhxM

— ANI (@ANI) July 31, 2022

The ED, ANI reported citing sources, that it has seized Rs 11.50 lakhs unaccounted cash from the residence of Sanjay Raut.

Raut said he won't bow down and quit the party, shortly before being herded into the south Mumbai office of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) whose team conducted a search at his residence in connection with a money laundering case.

तरीही शिवसेना सोडणार नाही.. pic.twitter.com/UNrnxNCt0z

— Sanjay Raut (@rautsanjay61) July 31, 2022

Spokesperson of Shiv Sena Priyanka Chaturvedi tweeted it is being attempted to suppress the voice of Sanjay Raut, one of the most outspoken critics of the central/state BJP and its wrongdoings.

The attempt to silence one of the most vocal opponent of the central/ state BJP and their wrongdoings — Sh @rautsanjay61 ji —is on. It is a shameful attempt to use central agencies to harass the opposition leaders. Condemn this harassment and we will all fight this out unitedly.

— Priyanka Chaturvedi

At 7 am on Sunday, ED officials, accompanied by CISF personnel, reached Raut's residence and began the searches. The Rajya Sabha MP, who is in the Uddhav Thackeray camp, had denied any wrongdoing and alleged that he was being targeted due to political vendetta.

Raut is a loyalist of former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, who was recently forced out of office following a rebellion and split in the Shiv Sena.

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

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.

(With PTI inputs)