Sanjay Raut Arrest: There were protests in Parliament today on several issues both inside and outside the Houses. Both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha had to be adjourned soon after today’s meeting due to sloganeering and demonstrations by opposition members.
Opposition members in Lok Sabha protested the suspension of four Congress MPs. Manickam Tagore, Jothimani, Ramya Haridas and TN Pratapan have been suspended for the session after they raised placards in the House to protest the price hike Lok Sabha adjourned.
Shiv Sena MPs protested in the Upper House targeting the government over the arrest of Rajya Sabha member and senior party leader Sanjay Raut in the land scam case. Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi deferred commercial notice, demanding discussion on “misuse of key investigative agencies by the central government for political agenda”.
Sanjay Raut Arrest LIVE: Shiv Sena Leader ‘Skips’ Court Hearing?
Members of the Left parties protested in front of the statue of Mahatma Gandhi against the alleged destruction of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme. With placards in their hands, they raised slogans demanding wage increase under the scheme.
One of the many protests in Parliament also originated in the Treasury Bench. West Bengal BJP MPs protest in front of Gandhi statue demanding resignation of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over alleged irregularities in teacher recruitment scam.
Inflation is going to be discussed in the Lok Sabha this afternoon. Vinayak Raut of Shiv Sena and Manish Tewari of Congress have to raise this matter. The same issue is to be discussed in Rajya Sabha tomorrow.
Sanjay Raut’s Midnight Arrest, Sena Protests
Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut was arrested at midnight after hours of questioning in connection with the redevelopment of a chawl in Mumbai. Mr Raut, 60, alleged that he was being targeted by the Center to weaken Team Thackeray.
Shiv Sena has planned protests across Mumbai over Raut’s arrest. Speaking to media, Shiv Sena MP in Rajya Sabha Priyanka Chaturvedi said that she will raise the issue in Parliament. Around 200 police personnel have been deployed in the Enforcement Directorate office and in the court to ensure peace.
Mr. Raut’s brother said that Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena stands firmly with the Raut family. Sunil Raut told news agency PTI, “Shiv Sena and Uddhav ji stand firmly with us. Our legal battle (over Sanjay Raut’s arrest) has started.”
Enforcement Directorate officials searched Mr Raut’s house for the most part of Sunday after he refused to appear for questioning despite being summoned twice.
The team of the investigating agency reached the 60-year-old Shiv Sena MP’s house at 7 am on Sunday. But Mr. Raut was taken to the Enforcement Directorate office in the evening itself. Investigators want to question Raut in connection with the redevelopment of a chawl in Mumbai and transactions involving his wife and close associates.
The Rajya Sabha MP from the Shiv Sena group led by former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray will be produced in a Mumbai court later today, where the Enforcement Directorate will seek his custody.
Before entering the Enforcement Directorate office on Sunday, Mr Raut told reporters that the Central Financial Crimes Agency’s action was aimed at trying to weaken the Shiv Sena and a “false” case had been prepared against him.
Guru Ashish Construction Pvt Ltd
BJP retaliated on Shiv Sena leader for not being summoned. BJP MLA Ram Kadam said, “If he is innocent then why is he afraid of the Enforcement Directorate? He has all the time to hold press conferences but no time to go to the probe agency’s office for questioning.”
In April, the Enforcement Directorate attached assets worth over ₹11.15 crore of Mr Raut’s wife Varsha Raut and two of his associates. These properties include a flat by Varsha Raut in Dadar and eight plots on Kihim Beach in Alibaug, which are jointly owned by Swapna Patkar, wife of Sujit Patkar, a “close associate” of Varsha Raut and Sanjay Raut.
The agency wants to know from Mr Raut about his “business and other relationships” with his close associates Pravin Raut and Sujit Patkar, and property deals involving his wife.
Praveen Raut was arrested in the probe related to the alleged land scam of Rs 1,034 crore related to the redevelopment of Patra Chawl in Goregaon. He is currently in judicial custody. https://gopalganj.org The Enforcement Directorate said Guru Ashish Construction Pvt Ltd was involved in the redevelopment of the “chawl”, which housed 672 tenants on 47 acres belonging to the Maharashtra Housing Area Development Authority (MHADA).
