Enforcement Directorate questions Raj Thackeray for over 8 hours in money laundering case

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) questioned Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray for over eight hours at its Mumbai office on August 22 in a loan default case related to Kohinoor CTNL.

The investigation pertains to alleged irregularities in a loan by Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services (IL&FS) to Kohinoor CTNL.

The MNS leader reached the ED office at 11.25 am and walked out at 8.15 pm.

Kohinoor CTNL was set up by Sena leader Manohar Joshi's son Unmesh Joshi, Thackeray and builder Ranjan Shirodkar in 2005. The ED is investigating about the shareholding pattern of Thackeray, Shirodkar and Unmesh Joshi, the financial transactions pertaining to those shares and the money trail.

IL&FS loans to Kohinoor CTNL totalled Rs 635 crore split into two loans of Rs 500 crore and Rs 135 crore. While the Rs 500-crore loan was converted into proportionate real estate, the Rs 135 loan remained unpaid till date.

Kohinoor CTNL was founded by the trio to develop the then defunct Kohinoor Mill.

When he reached the ED office, Raj was accompanied by wife Sharmila, son Amit and daughter in law Mitali. After Raj entered the office alone, his family members camped at a nearby hotel.

Police had imposed section 144 of CrPC (banning unlawful assembly) outside the ED office and in some parts of Dadar, where the MNS chief resides and parts of central Mumbai.

Thackeray has so far not been summoned again for questioning.