‘Even if I die..’: Sanjay Raut swears on Bal Thackeray after ED searches home

At 7 am on Sunday, ED officials, accompanied by CISF personnel, reached Raut’s residence and began the searches.

Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Sunday denied any wrongdoing as Enforcement Directorate (ED) searched at his residence in Mumbai in connection with a money laundering case. The search follows multiple summons issued by the ED against Raut for questioning in a money laundering case linked to alleged irregularities in the re-development of a Mumbai 'chawl' and related transactions involving his wife and 'associates'.

Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut waves at supporters as Enforcement Directorate officials conduct searches at his Mumbai residence. (Photo by Satish Bate)

In a series of tweets, posted in Marathi, Raut said he won't leave Shiv Sena despite the action by the central investigating agency, suggesting that he was being targeted due to political vendetta.

“I will not leave Shiv Sena..Even if I die, I will not surrender,” the Rajya Sabha member tweeted.

He also took oath in the name of Shiv Sena founder and late firebrand leader Bal Thackeray, claiming that he has nothing to do with any scam.

“I swear by late Balasabheb Thackeray that I have nothing to do with any scam…Balasaheb taught us to fight..I will continue to fight for Shiv Sena,” Raut wrote on Twitter.

In April, the investigating agency provisionally attached immovable properties worth ₹11.15 crore, including a flat at Dadar, held by Raut’s wife Varsha and eight land parcels at Kihim near Alibag, jointly held by the latter with Swapna Patkar, in connection with the Patra Chawl redevelopment scam. Swapna is the wife of Sujit Patkar, a close associate of the Sena leader but has turned against Raut in this case.

Sanjay Raut was summoned by the ED on June 28 in connection with the Patra Chawl land scam but the Sena leader refused to join the probe citing the Monsoon Session of Parliament as a reason. He then dared the probe agency to arrest him but later reached the ED office.