MUMBAI: Shiv Sena MP Bhavana Gawali did not turn up to give her statement in the money laundering case on Monday. Her representative submitted a letter to Enforcement Directorate (ED) seeking 15 days’ exemption. ED likely to decide on it in a few days after discussing it with senior officials.
Earlier, ED had arrested Saeed Khan, Gawali’s aide, who said she had converted the Mahila Utkarsha Pratishthan (a trust) into a company, and she was handling its affairs. ED alleged that Gawali, along with Saeed and others, conspired to siphon off trust money and filed a false police case against a former office-bearer of the trust. In his statement to ED, Saeed said, “Gawali will be the right person to provide details of the fraud committed.”
ED alleged that Gawali — an MP from Yavatmal-Washim — through Saeed Khan and his accomplices, criminally conspired to convert the trust into a non-profit under Section 8 of Companies Act through forgery and fraud.
After the conversion, Saeed Khan and Gawali’s mother became its directors with control over its assets worth Rs 69 crore.
