Mumbai: ED carries out searches at Sanjay Raut's daughters' associate residence in Rs 1,034 crore land scam case

Mumbai: The Enforcement Directorate (ED), investigating the Rs 1034 crore Patra Chawl land scam in which Pravin Raut was arrested on Wednesday, also conducted searches at the residence of one of his associates who is also an additional director of a wine distribution company along with the daughters of Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut.

Pravin's associate has been identified as Sujit Patkar. According to ANI, Patkar and the daughters of Sanjay Raut, Purvashi and Vidhita, have been partners in a wine distribution firm named Magpie DFS Pvt Ltd since April 16 last year, as mentioned in the company records.

The ED conducted searches at Patkar's residence in Mumbai. Patkar is associated with Pravin Raut of Guruashish constructions, a sister company of HDIL constructions.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested businessman Pravin Raut under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in connection with its probe into the alleged fraudulent sale of floor space index (FSI) of a plot in suburban Mumbai by Guruashish Construction Pvt Ltd, a subsidiary of Housing Development and Infrastructure Ltd (HDIL), officials said on Wednesday.

HDIL has been under the scanner of multiple investigating agencies in connection with the Rs 4,300 crore fraud at Punjab and Maharashtra Cooperative (PMC) Bank.

On Wednesday, he was produced before a special PMLA court. Raut’s lawyer, advocate Ajay Bhise submitted that the alleged financial irregularities were wrongly projected to the tune of ₹1,034 crore. Bhise requested the court for a short ED custody of his client. After hearing both sides, special PMLA judge S B Gurav remanded Raut to ED’s custody till February 9.