The Enforcement Directorate on Friday attached properties worth ₹72 crore of one Pravin Raut in connection with a PMC Bank loan cheating case.
In the same case, the agency had recently summoned Varsha Raut, wife of Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut, for recording her statement. The move triggered a sharp reaction from him. Stating that he had no reason to be afraid, he said the Central agencies were being misused. Ms. Varsha Raut has sought time from the agency till January 5.
The ED probe is based on an FIR registered by the Mumbai’s Economic Offences Wing against Housing Development Infrastructures Limited (HDIL), Rakesh Kumar Wadhawan, Sarang Wadhawan, Waryam Singh, Joy Thomas, the then chairman and managing director of PMC Bank, and others. It was alleged that they caused a loss of ₹4,355 crore to the bank.
According to the ED, ₹95 crore was siphoned off through HDIL by one of the accused persons, Mr. Pravin Raut. The company ledger showed that the funds were given to him for acquiring land in Palghar.
The ED alleged that from the proceeds of crime, Mr. Pravin Raut had paid ₹1.6 crore to his wife Madhuri, who transferred ₹55 lakh in two tranches as interest free loan to Ms. Varsha Raut. The amount was used for buying a flat in Mumbai’s Dadar East, the agency said in a statement.
“Investigation further revealed that Varsha Sanjay Raut and Madhuri Pravin Raut are partners in Avani Construction. Varsha Sanjay Raut has received ₹12 lakh from this entity [as overdrawn capital converted to loan] on a contribution of mere ₹5,625. The loan amount of ₹12 lakh still remains outstanding,” it said.
The agency had earlier attached several properties of Mr. Rakesh Kumar Wadhawan, the Wadhawan Family trust and others, worth ₹293 crore, and seized jewellery worth ₹63 crore. A prosecution complaint has also been filed against the accused persons in the case.
