After the ED attaches properties linked to him, Sanjay Raut replies, "Shoot me or send me to jail"

The Shiv Sena, which leads the Maha Vikas Aghadi administration, was dealt yet another setback on Tuesday when the Enforcement Directorate (ED) attached eight land parcels in Alibaug and a flat in Dadar belonging to party MP Sanjay Raut and his family under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

 

The ED had provisionally attached the properties of Shripad Patankar, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray's brother-in-law, estimated at Rs 6.25 crore, last month. The BJP, the Shiv Sena's estranged ally, has hinted that more such measures are in the works and has warned the Shiv Sena to face the consequences. The developments come as the Maharashtra government is pursuing a tit-for-tat approach against BJP leaders in the state, including opposition leaders Devendra Fadnavis and Pravin Darekar, in connection

with unlawful phone tapping and alleged fraud at the Mumbai Bank.

 

The timing of the ED action is significant, as it comes after a faction of the BJP stated that at least 15 unhappy Shiv Sena legislators had contacted the party and were planning to leave at a later date. The BJP has intimated that Raut should be quiet and quit flinging allegations, or risk a rout, with Tuesday's action.

 

The ED's operations came as Thackeray and Raut have intensified their attacks on the BJP and its government at the Centre, blaming them and the BJP's opponents in general for the deployment of Central probe agencies against them and the BJP's opponents in general. Thackeray had challenged the BJP to arrest him, while Raut claimed to be a follower of Shiv Sena Chief Bal Thackeray and was unfazed by the events of Tuesday.

 

More such acts are likely from both sides in the run-up to Maharashtra's upcoming BMC and local body elections. While the Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress, the ruling MVA partners, have criticized the BJP and the Centre for playing vendetta politics, the BJP insists that its campaign against corruption would continue. 

MVA allies further claimed that the BJP was dissatisfied with its inability to overthrow the Maharashtra government and was harassing MVA leaders by deploying Central investigation agencies. He said that all of the properties were purchased with hard-earned money in 2009 and that he learned of the ED's departure via television. Raut put on a brave front, saying he was willing to donate the seized properties to the BJP provided the party could prove they were obtained illegally.

 

 

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