Patra Chawl money laundering case: ED carries out searches in Mumbai

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday carried out searches at multiple locations in Mumbai, including eastern suburbs in connection with the ongoing investigations into the money laundering case related to the Patral Chawl project.

Earlier this month, too, the ED had carried out searches at two locations in Mumbai, in connection with the case. The agency on August 1 had arrested Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut in the case.

According to the agency officials, the searches began early Wednesday morning and a developer was also reportedly under the agency's scanner. The agency officials did not reveal if any documents were taken into possession during the searches, which continued till late Wednesday evening.

In February, the ED arrested Pravin Raut, former director of Guru Ashish Construction Pvt Ltd, Mumbai under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). M/s Guru Ashish Construction Pvt Ltd was assigned the redevelopment task of Patra Chawl, which had 672 tenants spread over 47 acres of land belonging to the Maharashtra Housing Area Development Authority (MHADA).

The ED had initiated an investigation on the basis of an FIR registered by Mumbai police's Economic Offence Wing (EOW) against M/s Guru Ashish Construction Pvt Ltd, Rakesh Kumar Wadhawan, Sarang Kumar Wadhawan, in connection with alleged irregularities in the redevelopment project.

In April this year, the ED had provisionally attached immovable properties collectively worth Rs 11.15 crore under the provisions of PMLA in the case. The attached assets were in the form of lands held by Pravin Raut, former director of GACPL at Palghar, Saphale, Padga, flat at Dadar of Varsha Raut, and plots at Kihim beach, Alibaug jointly held by Varsha Raut and Swapna Patkar.

Published on: Wednesday, August 17, 2022, 10:27 PM IST