AMN / MUMBAI
The Enforcement Directorate Wednesday carried out search operations at multiple locations in Mumbai related to irregularities in re-development of Patra Chawl in 2018 involving Shiv Sena’s Member of Parliament Sanjay Raut. According to the officials, the action is being taken based on information given to the agency by Raut during the interrogation.
Raut is currently in judicial custody till August 22nd.
The ED has raided two places in Mumbai including one at suburban Dadar and another at Kanjurmarg.
According to sources, it is not yet known whether these raids were carried out at Raut’s house. Sources also said that it is expected that the ED will also summon some more people for questioning in this case.
After being questioned for nine hours, Raut was arrested on August 1 by the central agency on allegations of money laundering and irregularities pertaining to the redevelopment of the Patra Chawl in Mumbai’s Goregaon. It is alleged by ED that the developers, one of them is a close associate of Raut fraudulently made Rs 1,039.79 crore from this scheme and Raut also benefited from the same.
On August 8, Mr Raut was sent to Arthur Road Jail till August 22 by special prevention of money laundering act court. ED has previously attached assets belonging to Raut and also questioned his wife Varsha in this case.
The case dates back to March 2018 when a First Information Report was registered under the provision of prevention of money laundering act against Guru Ashish Construction, Housing Development and Infrastructure Limited’s promoters Rakesh and Sarang Wadhwan on basis of complaint filed by an executive engineer of Maharashtra Housing and Area Development.
According to the ED, Guru Ashish Construction was entrusted with the development of Patra chawl project for rehabilitation of 672 tenants in 47 acres of land. During the relevant time the Wadhawan brothers and Pravin Raut were the directors of Guru Ashish Construction.ED contends the directors of Guru Ashish Constructions misled MHADA and managed to sell the floor space index to nine developers and collected approximately Rs 901.79 crore without constructing the rehab portion for 672 displaced tenants and MHADA portion.