Mumbai: Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut alleged Tuesday that the Enforcement Directorate and some of its officers were acting as an ‘ATM’ for the BJP. He informed that the Mumbai Police were probing ‘extortion’ charges against four officers of the federal anti-money laundering agency. Sanjay Raut said that some ED officials will go to jail.
Raut was addressing a news conference here. He said a complaint has been lodged with the Mumbai Police to probe ‘corruption’ and the ‘extortion racket’. Separately, the Mumbai Police is probing BJP leader Kirit Somaiya’s business relations with Rakesh Wadhwan, one of the accused in the PMC bank scam, Raut informed.
The Shiv Sena leader alleged that whenever ED raids any company, it has transferred money to firms belonging to one Jitendra Navlani. Raut claimed that Navlani was close to many BJP leaders.
“The ED and some of its officials have become an ATM (automated teller machine) for the BJP,” Raut said. He added that he has shared details of the same with the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
“The Mumbai Police were probing extortion and corruption charges against four ED officials. The Mumbai Police are capable of that. And mark my words… Some ED officials will go to jail,” the Rajya Sabha MP claimed.
Raut said one former ED official even contested the election on a BJP ticket and also funded the expenses of 50 party candidates. He, however, did not share any details on his claim. He alleged that ED officials and their ‘agents’ in Mumbai are involved in ‘intimidating and extorting money’ from builders, developers and corporates.
Raut, however, did not reveal the identities or designations of these ED officials. However, he said that he will name them in his next press conference.
Raut was elaborated further on Navlani. He said Navlani has seven companies. “Whenever there has been an ED probe, Navlani’s company received money from the company which was raided by the central agency. The companies have no office, no staff,” Raut claimed. The Shiv Sena MP also furnished a list of companies, which he claimed, transferred money to Navlani’s firms.
Raut also attacked Somaiya, who has levelled corruption charges against leaders close to the Thackerays. Raut said the BJP leader and his son will go to jail for alleged financial transactions with the Wadhwans.
Raut’s remarks came on a day when some Shiv Sena office-bearers, including a leader considered close to Maharashtra Tourism Minister Aaditya Thackeray, were raided by the Income Tax Department. Raut said the I-T department’s action comes ahead of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation polls.
The BMC – which is controlled by the Shiv Sena for more than two-and- half decades – is the country’s richest civic body with a budget more than many smaller states.