Shiv Sena MLA Pratap Sarnaik got kickbacks worth Rs 7 crore from Topsgrup, says ED

Shiv Sena MLA Pratap Sarnaik (Image: Twitter/@PratapSarnaik)

Shiv Sena MLA Pratap Sarnaik had received Rs 7 crore as kickbacks from security service provider Topsgrup for facilitating a Rs 175 crore contract with the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), the Enforcement Directorate has said.

The Shiv Sena leader, whose premises were recently raided by the ED in connection with the Rs 175 crore money laundering case, had reportedly helped Topsgrup get a government contract to provide security guards.

Sarnaik’s close aide Amit Chandole, who was arrested by the ED on November 25, would collect Rs 6 lakh from the private security agency every month on behalf of the Sena leader, reported the Indian Express. Chandole, who is director of Vihang Advertising, is also on the board of several firms run by the Sena MLA and his family.

Notably, the Sena MLA Sarnaik was in news recently for demanding Bollywood actor Kangana Ranaut be booked for sedition for drawing a parallel between Mumbai and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

The premises of the Sena MLA from Thane’s Ovala-Majiwada constituency were raided after Ramesh Iyer, the former CEO of Topsgrup, alleged that Rahul Nanda, the group chairman of the company, and his family has been diverging funds illegally, reported Times Now.

Accordingly, on November 24, the ED had conducted searches at 10 premises across Mumbai and Thane with links to Sarnaik, including his residence.