A day after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) summoned his wife Varsha to appear before it in connection with the PMC Bank scam on December 29, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Monday hit out at the BJP for its “act of cowardice” which reflected its “frustration” against him for his role in MVA Government’s formation in the State and charged that through the ED, it was targetting the ruling alliance leaders for the past one year.
Hitting out at the BJP-led NDA for “misusing” its investigating agencies against its political rivals, Raut said at a news conference here: “Targetting the women of a household is an act of cowardice. We are notscared of anyone and will respond accordingly. The BJP’s act reflects its frustration against him, owing to his role in the formation of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in the State last year and his refusal to yield to pressure to make it unstable”.
Raut, it may be recalled , had played a key role in bringing the Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress, together to form a three-party alliance government in Maharashtra in November last year.
Asserting that the BJP should learn to learn to face political battles should be “fought face to face” instead of using its investigating agencies against political rivals, Raut said: “I have spoken to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray in this regard. The Shiv Sena will respond to the BJP in its own way. There’s no need to panic”.
Alluding to the “blatant misuse” of the Central investigating agencies against its political rivals, Raut said: “During the past one year, our leaders like Sharad Pawar, Eknath Khadse and Pratap Sarnaik got notices from the ED. Now I am being discussed in connection with the summons issued to my wife” .
Raut's wife Varsha will appear before the ED on Tuesday. The ED is understood to be investigating alleged financial transactions between Varsha Raut and Pravin Raut, who is under arrest in the PMC Bank case.
“The ED wanted some papers and we have submitted them in time,” Raut said, even as he dismissed the notices as “pieces of paper, nothing else”.