PMLA case linked to redevelopment project: Charge sheet filed against bizman Pravin Raut

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday filed a charge sheet against businessman Pravin Raut in a money laundering case in connection with which Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut’s wife Varsha Raut had been questioned.

Sources said the charge sheet did not name Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut among the accused. After the businessman’s arrest in early February, during court proceedings for his further custody for investigation, the ED has told a court through its remand report that Raut had made payments to certain ‘politically exposed persons' in an apparent reference to the Sena leader.

It had further said that it appears Raut was acting as a front or in collusion with some influential persons.

The agency had elaborated in its report that Pravin Raut had paid Rs. 55 lakhs to the wife of such a ‘politically exposed person’ through the account of his wife. The money was returned, it said, after a period of 10 years, but without interest, only after it started probing the matter. The agency had questioned Varsha Raut in connection with the Rs. 55 lakhs transfer.

The remand report had further stated that bookings of tickets and hotel accommodations of the politically exposed person for domestic as well as international travel, were made from the businessman’s funds.

The agency had also said that on specific leads, it had conducted raids on the residence of Sujit Patkar. Patkar is a business partner of Sanjay Raut’s daughters. It stated that during the raid it found property documents of ‘the same influential person’. It probed with the sellers regarding the land deals and found that they had been coerced into selling their properties, it had stated.