ED grills Sena MP Sanjay Raut for 10 hrs in money-laundering probe

Mumbai: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday grilled Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut for 10 hours in connection with an alleged money-laundering case pertaining to the Rs 1,034 crore Patra Chawl land scam.

While leaving the ED office after the marathon grilling, Raut said he has fully cooperated with the probe team, and answered all the queries put forward by the ED sleuths.

“I have given whatever information and details they needed for the investigation… I have also said that if they want any more details, I shall again come and comply with their requirements,” Raut said in a brief interaction with the media.

Earlier on Friday morning, accompanied by a large number of supporters and a battery of lawyers, Raut reached the ED office following the second summon issued earlier this week.

“Whatever it is, it’s my duty to join the probe as a law-abiding citizen… I don’t blame the ED. I shall provide them whatever information they need,” said Raut, before entering the ED office in South Mumbai.

Responding to the ED summon, Raut had on Monday excused himself in view of the massive political crisis raging in Maharashtra, but had said that he would join the probe and submit his statements on Friday.

At that time he had accused the Centre for the action and challenged the ED to ‘arrest’ him, ‘shoot’ him or ‘behead’ him, saying that no matter what, he wouldn’t go “the Guwahati way” – referring to the Shiv Sena rebels camping in Assam.

In April, the ED had slapped attachment orders on properties allegedly linked to Raut, his wife and a business associate, in connection with the land scam under the ED scanner.

These included a Rs 2 crore property belonging to Raut’s wife Varsha and another eight plots of land worth Rs 9 crore in Raigad, belonging to his associate Pravin Raut, who was also arrested.