ED issues fresh summons to Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut, asks him to appear on July 1 in money laundering probe

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials on Tuesday issued second summons to Shiv Sena Member of Parliament Sanjay Raut, in connection with the money laundering case linked to the redevelopment of the Patra Chawl project in Goregaon by a private firm, Guru Ashish Construction Pvt Ltd. Raut has now been asked to appear before the ED on July 01.

The agency on Monday had issued first summons to Sanjay Raut asking him to appear before them on Tuesday. Raut however, had stated that he would be seeking more time to appear before the agency, because of the pre-decide schedule.

Raut's lawyer had visited the ED office on Tuesday and submitted an application on behalf of Raut, seeking more time. "As you know, on Monday Sanjay Raut had received ED summons. We have given an application today to seek more time from ED. Because ED has asked for some documents, which is not possible to be furnished at such a short notice. ED has allowed our application," said the lawyer.

In April, the ED had provisionally attached properties nearly worth Rs 11.15 crore in the case. The attached assets were in form of lands held by Pravin M Raut, former director of Guru Ashish Construction Pvt Ltd, Mumbai at Palghar, Saphale, padga, a flat at Dadar of Varsha Raut and plots at Kihim beach at Alibaug jointly held by Varsha Raut wife of Sanjay Raut and Swapna Patkar wife of Sujit Patkar.

The agency had earlier claimed in a statement, “Money trail investigation had revealed that around Rs 100 crore was transferred from Housing Development and Infrastructure Ltd (HDIL) to the account of Pravin Raut. As per the ED, this amount was further diverted by Pravin Raut to various accounts of his close associates, family members, and his business entities. It is also revealed that in 2010, a part of the proceeds of crime amounting to Rs 83 lakh was received by Varsha Raut directly/ indirectly from Madhuri Pravin Raut, wife of Pravin Raut. The ED said this amount was utilised by Varsha Raut for purchase of a flat at Dadar."

It was also revealed that after initiation of the ED investigation, Rs 55 lakh was transferred by Varsha Raut to Madhuri Raut. There are also various other transactions, the agency said. Further, during the aforementioned period, eight plots of land at Kihim beach at Alibaug were also purchased in the name of Varsha Raut and Swapna Patkar.