On Wednesday, NCP Chief Sharad Pawar met Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss the ‘intensified’ investigation by the Enforcement Directorate against the leaders of the Maharastra Vikas Aghadi. The meeting that was arranged in the Prime Minister’s Office lasted for around 20 minutes.
According to the reports, NCP Chief Sharad Pawar said that he brought to the notice of the Prime Minister the matter regarding ED attaching properties of Shiv Sena’s Sanjay Raut. “If a central agency takes a step like this, then they have to take responsibility for it. Was this action taken against him because he speaks against the Govt?”, Pawar said defending Raut in the Rs 1034 crore land scam case.
I brought to the notice of the PM the matter regarding (ED) attaching properties of Shiv Sena’s Sanjay Raut. If a central agency takes a step like this, then they’ve to take responsibility for it..this action against him because he speaks against the Govt?: NCP Chief Sharad Pawar pic.twitter.com/JsUIx4jhF3
— ANI (@ANI) April 6, 2022
Meanwhile, NCP leader and Dy CM of Maharashtra Ajit Pawar when asked about the meeting said that he had no idea why Sharad Pawar met PM Modi. He also stated the possibility that the duo might have met to discuss the development issues. However, BJP leader Pravin Darekar confirmed that NCP Chief had met PM Modi in the backdrop of ED’s action against Sanjay Raut.
“ED is investigating several MVA leaders. Two NCP leaders are in jail. Several Sena leaders are being investigated. Maybe because of this, Pawar met the PM,” Darekar said. He also said that PM Modi, speaking after the results of the recent Assembly elections in five states, had made it clear that action against wrong-doers would continue.
🎥 थेट प्रक्षेपण 🎥
— Pravin Darekar – प्रविण दरेकर (@mipravindarekar) April 6, 2022
प्रसार माध्यमांशी संवाद
📍 कोल्हापूरhttps://t.co/e9uT6Q0vJ7
On April 5, the Enforcement Directorate had provisionally attached properties worth Rs 11.5 crores owned by Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut and his family members in connection with its probe into the Rs 1034 crore floor space index (FSI) fraud at Patra Chawl in Goregaon. The properties seized include eight land parcels in Alibaug and one flat at Dadar in Mumbai.
Sanjay Raut responding to the seizure had said that he will expose the BJP led government and that he will not stay quiet. “I’m not one to get scared, seize my property, shoot me, or send me to jail, Sanjay Raut is Balasaheb Thackeray’s follower and a Shiv Sainik, he’ll fight and expose everyone. I’m not one to stay quiet, let them dance. The truth will prevail”, he added.
#WATCH “… I’m not one to get scared, seize my property, shoot me, or send me to jail, Sanjay Raut is Balasaheb Thackeray’s follower & a Shiv Sainik, he’ll fight & expose everyone. I’m not one to stay quiet, let them dance. The truth will prevail”: Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut pic.twitter.com/UzIdBKN9mc
— ANI (@ANI) April 5, 2022
The meeting also comes on the day when the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) took former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh into custody from Mumbai’s Arthur Road Jail in connection with an alleged corruption allegation raised against him by former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh. While ED is investigating Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut’s role in the Rs 1,034 crore re-development land scam, Pawar before the press has accused the central agencies of deliberately taking action against Raut for he speaks against the government.
