Money laundering case: Court extends Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut's ED custody till August 8

A special court here on Thursday extended till August 8 the Enforcement Directorate (ED) custody of Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut in a money laundering case. While extending the custody, the court noted that the ED has made "remarkable progress" in the investigation.

The central agency had arrested Raut on Sunday midnight in connection with alleged financial irregularities in the redevelopment of Patra 'Chawl' (old row tenement) in suburban Goregaon and related financial property transactions involving his wife and alleged associates. On Monday, the court had remanded him in the ED custody till August 4.

At the end of his initial remand, the probe agency produced Raut before special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court judge M G Deshpande. It sought extension of his custody for further probe into the matter. After hearing both the sides, the court extended the custody till August 8.

The ED had earlier told the court that Raut and his family received "proceeds of crime" worth over Rs one crore generated out of alleged irregularities in the housing redevelopment project. The 60-year-old Rajya Sabha member is a close aide of Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray.

(With PTI inputs)