MVA partners criticise the ED's raids on Nagpur-based lawyer Satish Uke and his imprisonment

The raid on the homes of well-known lawyer Satish Uke and his brother Pradeep Uke in Nagpur's Parvati Nagar, and his subsequent detention, have created political controversy. Uke, the counsel representing state Congress head Nana Patole, had filed election complaints against Devendra Fadnavis, the former chief minister. He was arrested in connection with several real estate deals. In July 2018, he was detained in an alleged fraud case by the Economic Offences Wing of the Nagpur Police's Crime Branch.

Uke is also the counsel for Patole, who has sued IPS officer and former state intelligence director Rashmi Shukla and others in a civil court here for allegedly illegally tapping his phone.

 

Patole slammed the BJP, claiming that the party's government has been utilising federal agencies against opponents and individuals speaking out against injustice. He noted that Uke had previously filed petitions in the Bombay High Court regarding Judge BH Loya's death.

 

"This message is being sent to anyone who speaks out against the Modi government's anti-national and anti-people policies: the Modi government would try to silence them by misusing central agencies. However, we will continue to battle to rescue the country" Patole remarked.

 

Sanjay Raut, a Shiv Sena MP, slammed the ED raids on Uke's home, saying it wouldn't be a surprise if Patole's home was also raided as Uke was Patole's lawyer. Last week, during the Shiv Sena's Sampark Yatra, Raut visited Uke and accused the BJP and the Centre of openly exploiting official machinery, particularly in Maharashtra, to destabilize the Maha Vikas Aghadi administration.

 

"A strange situation is observed in which those who provide information and evidence are punished while the guilty go unpunished," Raut said, adding that despite providing evidence against the ED, no one from the PMO has taken any action in response to his recent complaint against the actions of central probe agencies. Mahesh Tapase, the state NCP's Chief spokesman, criticised the BJP for misusing the federal probe agencies.

 

 

Image Courtesy: Twitter @fpjindia