Shiv Sena’s deputy Sanjay Raut confronted the BJP-led government in the center on Monday, accusing it of using central agencies as “weapons” against relatives of political opponents after the Law Enforcement Directorate convened to his wife Varsha Raut. Raut alleged that the BJP leaders had been indirectly forcing him to overthrow the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) in Maharashtra and that the ED’s action reflected his “frustration” against him because he did not give in to pressure.
“When you cannot take down your opponents politically, weapons like the ED or the CBI are blatantly used against their family members,” Raut said. The MP said he discussed the issue with the Seine president and Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.
“The ED is issuing a subpoena … The BJP is targeting me in frustration. The Shiv Sena will respond to the same extent,” he said. Raut said the BJP had been pressuring him since last year to “not allow the MVA government to survive.”
“I have been in regular correspondence with the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) for the last month and a half regarding a loan of Rs 50 lakh that my wife took ten years ago from a friend to buy a house,” said Rajya Sabha. MP said.
He said that all details about this loan had already been submitted to ED during correspondence. The DE summoned Varsha Raut for questioning in the PMC Bank money laundering case on Dec. 29, officials said Sunday.
Officials said Varsha Raut was asked to appear before the federal agency in Mumbai. This is the third summons issued to her after she skipped the previous two for health reasons, they said. “When the ED itself did not mention that the correspondence concerned the PMC Bank and HDIL scam case, how can the leaders of BJP say so?” I ask.
Raut, the chief spokesman for the Uddhav Thackeray-led party, said his wife is a teacher. “We are middle class people. My wife had taken a loan from a friend 10 years ago to buy a house. Details were given to the Income Tax (department) and also mentioned in my affidavit from Raya Sabha. DE woke up this deal after ten years, “he wondered.
Raut also suggested that some BJP leaders who spoke against him since December 27 used to frequent the ED office (in South Mumbai) and “took some papers from the office.” He refused to give names.
The government of Maha Vikas Aghadi is made up of the Seine, the NCP and the Congress. “I was told that 22 MLA from Congress and the NCP are on the radar of central agencies who will be misled and forced to resign. Shiv Sena MLA Pratap Sarnaik (who is under ED’s scanner in connection with a registered money laundering case against a company) is just one such example.
“When nothing of the BJP foreseen happened until November, which was the deadline set by the BJP to overthrow the state government, the children and wives of those who were associated with the formation of the MVA government are under attack,” he said. He said there was no threat to the state government.
“This is a political war and we will only fight it politically.” Raut declared.
“Don’t take ‘panga’ with me. I am Shiv Sainik of the late Balasaheb Thackeray. I will expose you all. I have a list of 120 BJP leaders (scams) that the Emergency Department can investigate for five years. They will have to take flight as Nirav Modi or Vijay Mallya to foreign countries, “Raut warned.
“You send us a notice or arrest us, the government will remain stable,” he added.
Earlier in the day, Raut told reporters that he had not received any notice from the emergency department.
“I’ve been looking for that notice since Sunday. The BJP leaders are talking about it. I sent my person to the BJP office to look for the ED notice. I feel like it might get stuck there (in the BJP office). This is it. politics, ”he said.
With input from PTI and IANS
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