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Shiv Sena’s Sanjay Raut hugs mother before being taken to ED office. Watch
Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut has been arrested in the money laundering case linked to Patra Chawl.
Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Sunday shared a few emotional moments with his family before the top party leader was taken to the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case.
Amid challenges faced by the Shiv Sena, Raut, 60, on Sunday midnight was arrested by the central probe agency after his home was searched for nearly nine hours. Unaccounted cash worth ₹11 lakh is said to be found at the home of the Shiv Sena leader. However, his brother, Sunil Raut, while speaking to reporters, said the amount belonged to the Ayodhya fund.
Raut’s arrest comes as Shiv Sena continues to grapple with internal rift, triggered by Eknath Shinde’s rebellion against Uddhav Thackeray. The rift has now reached the Supreme Court.
In a video shared by news agency ANI, Raut can be seen hugging his mother before he was taken to the ED office. A defiant Raut was seen waving to his supporters from his house after he said in a series of tweets that he had nothing to do with the scam.
“False action, false evidence. I will die, but will not surrender. I will never leave Shiv Sena. I swear by Balasaheb Thackeray that I am not involved in any scam. He taught us to fight and I will continue to fight for Shiv Sena,” he tweeted after the searches started.
The probe against Raut is linked to a case on development of Patra Chawl. He was summoned twice by the probe agency when Shinde’s revolt had unfolded and the Maha Vikas Aghadi government was on the brink of collapse.
At that time, Raut had said that those who had joined the Shinde camp had done so due to the fear of ED raids, and said he too was asked to switch sides. On Sunday, however, Eknath Shinde said that he was not invited by the BJP or his camp.
(With inputs from ANI)
