ED raid at Deshmukh’s house: MVA partners slam Centre

Following Enforcement Directorate (ED) raids at Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and former home minister Anil Deshmukh on Friday, NCP’s allies in the ruling Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) — Shiv Sena and Congress — criticised the Centre, accusing it of misusing central probe agencies for political purpose

Following Enforcement Directorate (ED) raids at Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and former home minister Anil Deshmukh on Friday, NCP’s allies in the ruling Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) — Shiv Sena and Congress — criticised the Centre, accusing it of misusing central probe agencies for political purpose.

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Sena chief spokesperson Sanjay Raut described the alleged irregularities of the purchase of Ram Mandir land at Ayodhya as a fit case of probe by ED and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). He asked BJP’s national executive to pass a resolution seeking such a probe. “If CBI really wants to investigate, then it should investigate the land transaction conducted by the Ayodhya Mayor with the Ram temple trust. This is fit case for investigation,” he said.

Raut accused the Centre of lowering the standards of the investigative agencies. “This is all part of vindictive politics. Are ED and CBI your party workers,” questioned Raut, adding, “This has only resulted in tarnishing the name of ED and CBI.”

The Sena leader is also facing the ire of ED as his wife Varsha was questioned with regards to money laundering in the Punjab and Maharashtra Cooperative (PMC) Bank fraud case.

Deshmukh has been facing the heat of central agencies. Last month, ED registered a criminal case of money laundering against him and CBI has already filed a first information report (FIR) against Deshmukh citing corruption charges.

State Congress unit, too, slammed the Centre over the raid.

“What is ED trying to search while raiding residence of Deshmukh, as even Sachin Vaze and Param Bir Singh who levelled allegations never said the money was given (to Deshmukh)? If ED feels money was given, why no raids on Vaze and Parambir who supposedly gave money,” asked state Congress spokesman Sachin Sawant.

“All national investigative agencies have surrendered their independence before the Modi government and are being used as political weapons against opposition,” he alleged.