Sanjay Raut, a Shiv Sena lawmaker, has had his judicial custody in the Patra Chawl land fraud case extended by 14 days by a special PMLA court on Monday.
The 14-day extension of Raut’s judicial custody that was granted on September 5 came to an end today, and he was then brought before the judge. On August 8, he was initially taken into jail by the court. On Wednesday, the court will consider the Shiv Sena leader’s bail request.
In the meantime, ED officers carried out the court’s order and gave Sanjay Raut a copy of the charge sheet.
In connection with suspected financial irregularities in the reconstruction of the Patra Chawl in suburban Goregaon, Raut was detained by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on August 1.
The ED first kept the Shiv Sena leader, but on August 8 was transferred to judicial custody for a period of 14 days. Raut’s custody was initially prolonged by a special PMLA court until September 5, and it has now been extended once again until September 19. The Shiv Sena leader was taken into custody on August 1 after ED agents stormed his residence on July 31. He had been held and questioned for many hours.
Sanjay Raut was called by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on June 28 regarding the investigation into the Rs 1,034 crore Patra Chawl land scam and the prevention of money laundering.
The agency also called the Shiv Sena MP’s wife in August in relation to the Patra Chawl property dispute.
After ED agents searched the residence of the Shiv Sena leader and detained and questioned him (Sanjay Raut) for many hours, they then arrested him. The central agency then summoned the MP’s wife Varsha Raut.
Uddhav Thackeray’s former chief minister of Maharashtra, Raut, is a close ally.
During the raids, ED authorities allegedly seized Rs 11.50 lakhs in undeclared cash from his home. The Shiv Sena leader declared that he “won’t be cowed down” soon after the ED agents detained him in connection with the Patra Chawl land fraud case.
In relation to the redevelopment of Mumbai’s Patra Chawl, Raut is being investigated.
Varsha Raut, the wife of Sanjay Raut, and Swapna Patkar jointly owned eight land lots at Kihim near Alibag when the ED attached immovable properties worth Rs 11.15 crore to them in April of this year. These included a Dadar apartment that was owned by Varsha and was attached by the ED.
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