BJP-Sena spat continues: Somaiya accuses CM’s brother-in-law of money laundering, Raut hits back

The BJP leader further said that one Nandkishor Chaturvedi was involved in laundering money for firms where members of the Thackeray family were on board.

Mumbai: In a fresh round of financial fraud allegations, BJP leader Kirit Somaiya on Friday claimed that chief minister Uddhav Thackeray’s brother-in-law Shridhar Patankar laundered ₹29.62 crore through a real estate firm in Mumbai, while Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut alleged misuse of Mira-Bhayander civic body funds by an NGO run by Somaiya family.

Sanjay Raut said that he would expose a “toilet scam” involving the Somaiya family (HT PHOTO)

Somaiya said Patankar’s firm Shreeji Homes has an office in Bandra and it constructed a building in the Shivaji Park area. “Shreeji Homes is a partnership firm between Shridhar Patanakar and two private companies. Two transactions worth ₹5.86 crore and ₹23.75 crore were made. Uddhav Thackeray should answer his connection with the firm,” Somaiya said.

The BJP leader further said that one Nandkishor Chaturvedi was involved in laundering money for firms where members of the Thackeray family were on board. “Nandkishor Chaturvedi is a family friend and business partner of the Thackerays. Several financial transactions between Aaditya Thackeray, Tejas Thackeray and Shridhar Patankar have come out. The investigating agency is searching for Chaturvedi. We demand that he should be declared absconding,” Somaiya said.

Meanwhile, Raut said that he would expose a “toilet scam” involving the Somaiya family. “Funds of Mira-Bhayander municipal corporation were misused by Kirit Somaiya and his family. I have all the evidence and a case is being filed against that,” he said.

Raut is expected to give out more details of the alleged ‘scam’. Somaiya, meanwhile, said that Raut merely levels allegations, but never produces any proof.