New Delhi: Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut, who was supposed to appear before Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a prevention of money laundering case linked to the Rs 1,034 crore Patra chawl land scam on Tuesday, is likely to skip the questioning.
Refusing to join the probe, he dared the anti-money laundering agency to arrest him.
The ED, which took Pune-based businessman Avinash Bhosale into custody this morning in connection with DHFL-Yes Bank case, wants to grill Raut in this matter too, as per sources. They claimed that Patra Chawl case of ED is also linked to DHFL case.
On Monday, the central probe agency had asked Raut to appear in its Mumbai office the following day to get his statement recorded.
Soon after receiving the summons, Raut took to Twitter and alleged that he was being victimised on the instructions of the Centre.
"I just came to know that the ED has summoned me. Good! There are big political developments in Maharashtra. We, Balasaheb's Shiv Sainiks are fighting a big battle. This is a conspiracy to stop me. Even if you behead me, I won't take the Guwahati route. Arrest me," Raut had tweeted.
In April, the ED had attached Raut's property in connection with the land scam.
A property worth Rs 9 crore of Raut's associate Pravin Raut and assets worth Rs 2 crore belonging to Varsha Raut, the wife of Sanjay Raut, were attached by the ED.
Pravin had eight parcels of land in Alibaug and a flat registered in the name of Varsha Raut which were attached. The ED had arrested Pravin in connection with the matter.
"We had filed a charge sheet in the matter against Pravin, Sarang Wadhawan and Rakesh Wadhawan of HDIL and Guru Ashish Construction and others were named as an accused in the charge sheet," said an ED official.
During the probe, the ED that Pravin allegedly paid Rs 55 lakh to Varsha. This was paid from the bank account of Pravin's wife.
The money was termed "proceeds" of crime by the ED.
It was also alleged that the travel expenses of Sanjay Raut were borne by Pravin which included his hotel stay and air tickets.
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