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The Enforcement Directorate (ED) seized cash worth Rs 11.50 lakh from the residence of Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Sunday during the raid conducted in connection with the Patra chawl land scam case. ED raided the house of Sena MP in a money laundering case linked to alleged irregularities in the re-development of a Mumbai chawl.

Sanjay Raut was taken to the ED office in south Mumbai for questioning in the land scam case. Raut’s lawyer Vikrant Sabne said, “Sanjay Raut was summoned by the ED. There are chances that he might get arrested later but he was called only to give a statement. He has not been detained.”

“There was no document of Patra Chawl that was taken into custody by the ED,” his lawyer said.

Meanwhile, Sanjay Raut’s brother Sunil Raut said that ED action has been taken against him due to his closeness to former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.

“They have nothing against Sanjay Raut. They are planning to ensure that if not in this case, then action would be taken in some other case,” Sunil Raut said.

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ED ACTION ON RAUT

The ED action follows multiple summons issued by the agency against Raut, the latest being on July 27.

At 7 am on Sunday, ED officials, accompanied by CRPF personnel, reached Raut’s residence and began the searches. Shortly after 5 pm, he was brought to the ED office.

Sanjay Raut said he won’t bow down and quit the party, shortly before being herded into the south Mumbai office of the ED whose team conducted a search at his residence in connection with a money laundering case.

“Zukega nahi (won’t bow down),” Raut said.

The Rajya Sabha MP, who is in the Uddhav Thackeray camp, had denied any wrongdoing and alleged that he was being targeted due to political vendetta.

“I will die but won’t leave Shiv Sena,” Raut added.

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