MUMBAI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday attached Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut’s properties at Alibaug and Dadar in connection with the Patra Chawl land scam. Eight land parcels in Alibaug and a flat in Mumbai’s Dadar suburb linked to Raut and his family were attached under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
Raut accused the Centre of pursuing ‘vendetta politics’ saying that the ED action took place because he did not support the BJP in 2019 to form the government with the Shiv Sena. The ruling Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi also came out in support of Raut, with Sena’s Aaditya Thackeray and NCP’s Dilip Walse Patil accusing the BJP of targeting the alliance.
“I am a Shiv Sainik of Balasaheb Thackeray, and will not bow and succumb to the BJP and its stooge — central agencies. If BJP proves that the charges levelled by the ED under the money laundering act are true, then I will permanently leave politics and donate property to BJP. We have bought the properties with our hard-earned money. The BJP is targeting the middle-class Marathi manoos through the central agencies,” Raut said.
Later, Aaditya Thackeray said the series of ED actions against non-BJP leaders raises questions whether democracy was left in the country. “Why only Maha Vikas Aghadi leaders and ministers are targeted by central agencies? It is a political vendetta by BJP against Mava Vikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra.”
Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil said that BJP wants to topple the Mava Vikas Aghadi and was blatantly misusing the central agencies against MVA leaders. “The ED action against Raut is nothing but vendetta politics,” Patil said.