ED summons Sanjay Raut on June 28 in money laundering case

Amid the political turmoil in Maharashtra, the Enforcement Directorate has issued summons to prominent Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut to appear on June 28 (Tuesday) for questioning in a money laundering probe linked to the re-development of a Mumbai chawl, officials said.

Raut, a Rajya Sabha MP and spokesperson of the Sena, has been asked to depose before the federal agency at its office in south Mumbai on June 28 and record his statement under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

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The development comes as the Shiv Sena battles rebellion from a group of its MLAs, putting a question mark on the future of Maharashtra’s Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government.

For the past few days, Raut has been playing an active role in defusing the situation – from trying to woo back rebel MLAs to daring them to quit their positions and face fresh elections.

“How long will you hide in Guwahati, you will have to come to chowpatty,” Raut taunted the rebels in a tweet on Sunday.

The ED in April provisionally attached assets worth more than ₹11.15 crore of Raut’s wife Varsha Raut and two of his associates as part of this investigation into the ₹1,034 Patra Chawl land scam case.

A charge sheet in a money laundering case has also been filed against Raut by the ED.

In February, ED officials probing the case had found that Pravin Raut, Raut’s associate had paid ₹55 lakh from the proceeds of the crime through Varsha’s account.

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ED officials also claimed that the proceeds of the crime were used to book hotel accommodation and domestic and international flight tickers for Sanjay Raut and people associated with him.