Mumbai: A Special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court on Monday extended the judicial custody of Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut by 14 days in connection with the Patra Chawl land scam case. Raut, whose judicial custody was extended on September 5 by 14 days ended today, following which he was produced before the court. He was first sent to judicial custody on August 8.
The court will hear the bail plea of the Shiv Sena leader on Wednesday.
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Meanwhile, ED officers handed the chargesheet copy to Sanjay Raut following Court's directive. Raut was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on August 1 in connection with alleged financial irregularities in the redevelopment of the Patra Chawl in suburban Goregaon.
After being in the ED's custody initially, the Shiv Sena leader was sent to judicial custody for 14 days on August 8. On 22 August, a special PMLA court extended Raut's custody till September 5 which has now been further extended till September 19ED officials raided the Shiv Sena leader's home on July 31, and after detaining and questioning him for several hours, arrested him on August 1.
On June 28 this year, Sanjay Raut was summoned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the prevention of the money laundering case pertaining to the Rs 1,034 crore Patra Chawl land scam. Back in August, the wife of Shiv Sena MP was also summoned by the agency in connection with the Patra Chawl land case.
The MP's wife Varsha Raut was summoned by the central agency after the ED officials raided the Shiv Sena leader's home and after detaining and questioning him (Sanjay Raut) for several hours, arrested him. Raut is a close aide of former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.
According to sources, ED officials seized Rs 11.50 lakhs unaccounted cash from his residence during the raids. Soon after the ED officials detained him in connection with the Patra Chawl land scam case, the Shiv Sena leader said that he "won't be cowed down".
Raut is being probed in connection with the re-development of Mumbai's Patra Chawl. In April this year, the ED had attached immovable properties worth Rs 11.15 crore, including a flat at Dadar, held by Sanjay Raut's wife Varsha and eight land parcels at Kihim near Alibag, jointly held by the latter with Swapna Patkar. (ANI)
