Maharashtra: ED questions Shiv Sena MLA Sarnaik’s son in money laundering case

This is the second-time Vihang was questioned by the ED. Previously the central agency after raiding his premises in Mumbai and Thane last month had questioned him for several hours at ED office

Enforcement Directorate (ED) officers on Wednesday questioned Shiv Sena legislator Pratap Sarnaik’s son Vihang for nearly six hours in the money laundering case linked to security services giant Tops Grup, owned by Rahul Nanda.

Vihang Sarnaik outside the ED office at Ballard Estate, Mumbai, on Wednesday. (Pratik Chorge/HT photo)

This is the second-time Vihang was questioned by the ED. Previously the central agency after raiding his premises in Mumbai and Thane last month had questioned him for several hours at ED office.

Officers are now questioning him about the details on the business deals with Amit Chandole, a close associate of Sarnaik, and Tops Grup, that had surfaced during the interrogation of other suspects in the case, ED sources said.

The ED had also summoned Sarnaik on Monday for the second round of questioning, however, the legislator didn’t appear before ED.

Sarnaik and his family members have already secured relief from the Supreme Court that directed ED to not to take any coercive action against the Sarnaik’s family. ED had summoned Sarnaik’s both the sons, but only one appeared before the agency on Wednesday.

The remand application of ED stated that in the year 2014, a contract was signed by TopsGrup Security Services Limited (TGSSL), with MMRDA, as per which, there were about 350 to 500 guards which were to be deployed at MMRDA sites on a monthly basis. Out of the same, only 70% of guards were actually deployed. However, the billing was done for all the guards as per contract.

The MMRDA has refuted all the allegations in its say submitted to Mumbai police Economic Offenses Wing (EOW) which is also probing a case against TOPS Grup.

MMRDA submitted that alleged irregularities in providing 500 security guards by (Rahul Nanda’s) Tops Grup Security Services Limited (TGSSL) are baseless. Instead, there was no 500 strength at any given time in three shifts a day, the authority said.