Ahead of the press conference by Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut slated for 4 pm at Shiv Sena Bhavan, the raids are underway by the Income Tax on Tourism Minister Aaditya Thackeray’s close confidant Rahul Kanal, Transport Minister Anil Parab’s close aide Bajarang Kharmate and another associate Sadanand Kadam.
Kanal is also a trustee of Shirdi Devasthan, Kharmate is a former regional transport officer of Wardha while Kadam is reportedly Parab’s financial partner.
‘’Maharashtra in the past has witnessed invasion. This is an invasion by Delhi. As the elections are approaching the Centre, which is scared of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government, has deployed the central probe agencies. Similar raids were conducted where the elections took place.
The central probe agencies have become now BJP’s poll campaign agencies. Therefore, similar raids are being carried out in Maharashtra. Despite such raids and actions by central agencies, Maharashtra will not be scared nor will it bow down (before Delhi),’’ said Aaditya in his reaction.
Today’s raids were being conducted days after the Income Tax had carried out raids for more than 70 hours in the residential premises of Shiv Sena leader and former BMC Standing Committee chairman Yashwant Jadhav.
Shiv Sena along with ruling partners NCP and Congress have repeatedly claimed that the BJP led government at the Centre has been misusing the central probe agencies against the MVA leaders.
The ruling partners have alleged that the actions were being taken out of revenge politics. On the other hand, Raut has claimed that the Enforcement Directorate, which has recently arrested NCP Minister Nawab Malik in connection with a money laundering case, has been allegedly running a 'criminal syndicate' of the BJP.
