Mumbai, The Enforcement Directorate has claimed before a PMLA court in the city that Maharashtra-based businessman Praveen Raut paid for “a politically active person” and that he ” ‘acting as a mask’ or colluding with some influential people.
Raut was arrested by the ED on February 2 under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). On Wednesday, Raut was produced in the court after the time of custody was over. The court extended his custody till Friday. Last year, the agency had also questioned Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut’s wife Varsha Raut in connection with the PMC Bank case and her alleged relationship with Praveen Raut’s wife.
Praveen Raut is a former director of a company named ‘Guru Ashish Construction Pvt Ltd’, who was arrested by the ED in a money laundering case related to the Rs 1,034 crore land scam related to the redevelopment of a ‘chawl’ in Mumbai. The ED on Wednesday, while seeking the businessman’s custody, told the court that the ongoing probe in the money laundering case was at a crucial stage and the accused was one of the key persons involved. The case against him pertains to alleged irregularities in the sale of FSI (Floor Space Index) of a plot of land by a subsidiary of ‘Housing Development Infrastructure Limited’, a company linked to it.
Seeking custody, the ED said that Raut is “acting as a front” or colluding with some influential people. At the same time, the booking of tickets and hotel accommodation for domestic and international travel of “a politically active person” was also done by Praveen Raut. The agency said that Praveen Raut’s custody is also required for his interrogation in respect of further evidence collected so far to arrive at a proper conclusion.