The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) carried out searches at 10 locations Tuesday morning, including premises linked to Thane-based Shiv Sena legislator Pratap Sarnaik. Raids are taking place at various locations in Mumbai and Thane in connection with a money laundering case.
A senior official from the Directorate of Enforcement said the searches were being conducted at locations in Mumbai and Thane linked to promoters of a private company and some politicians. The official declined to give details of the case.
Pratap Sarnaik, Chairman of Vihang Group Of Companies which has invested in real estate development in Thane, represents Ovala-Majiwada in the state assembly. He is also the party spokesman in Mira-Bhayander, a town in the Thane district.
ED officials said facilities linked to Pratap Sarnaik’s sons, Purvesh and Vihang, were also searched.
Sarnaik’s party said the raids were an attempt to pressure Shiv Sena lawmakers, but that it would not work.
“If someone thinks that they can use central agencies and form a government, they are wrong. No matter how many notices or raids are carried out, none of our legislators will be pressured or bowed down to you. This is mere politics. The Directorate of Execution must not behave as a branch of the Bharatiya Janata Party. Today Pratap Sarnaik and his sons are not in Mumbai and this raid was carried out, ”Shiv Sena’s chief spokesperson Sanjay Raut said of the ED searches.
Opposition leader and former Prime Minister Devendra Fadnavis said he was not aware of the details of the DE’s action, but that no one should be afraid of such action if he has done nothing wrong. “The Directorate of Enforcement does not take any action unless it has strong evidence,” he said.
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