Simultaneous raids on the residence and nine other premises of influential Shiv Sena MLA Pratap Sarnaik and detention of his son by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) sparked a political controversy in Maharashtra on
Tuesday, as the ruling MVA partners slammed the BJP for “misusing’ its official machinery to get at them on the occasion of their government celebrating first anniversary in office.
Within hours after the ED carried out raids at ten Sarnaik’s family premises, including son Vihang Sarnaik’s residence at Hirandandi Estate, at Thane and Mumbai, NCP chief Sharad Pawar joined other MVA leaders, including
Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut and Maharashtra Congress president Pratap Thorat in accusing the BJP of using the central investigating agencies for settling its political scores.
Accompanied by a huge posse of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel, the ED officials carried out searches at the residences of Sarnaik’s son Vihang and Puvesh and eight other premises belonging to Sarnaiks. Pratap Sarnaik was not present when the raids took place.
After the raids, the ED officials detained Vihang whom they took to their office where they questioned him for more than six hours, before letting him off late in the evening.
Firty-six-year-old Pratap Sanaik is a three-time MLA from Ovala-Majiwada constituency in Thane, and is the Chairman of Vihang Group of Companies with interests in varied sectors.
Dubbing the ED raids on Sarnaiks’ premises as an act of “political vindictiveness”, Shiv Sena spokesperson and MP said: “The raids carried out on the premises of Sarnaiks were an act of political vindictiveness. If you want to arrest our people, please go ahead and do. We are not scared of any one. If you (BJP) have guts,
please fight against us openly rather than using the central investigating agencies our people”.
Without naming the BJP, Raut said that the party should forget about its dream of returning to power in Maharashtra for the next 25 years “no matter how much pressure it exerts on us or spreads terror through agencies”
“This action is definitely a political vendetta. The ED can definitely probe and take any action if it has evidence. But, the ED or other agencies should not work as if a branch of a political party,” Raut said
“But, you are out harassing our people related to the ruling party and the state government. These actions will boomerang on you. And I think that time is nearing If you have begun today, we know how to end it,” the Sena spokesperson said.
In a sharp criticism of the BJP over the raids conducted on Sarnaiks’ premises, NCP chief Sharad Pawar said: “What we are witnessing in the state today is an act of desperation. Instead of responding to questions being raised by the people (about the lack of governance), the ruling party at the Centre is using its official machinery against its opponents. This is not done. Our MVA government is about to complete its first anniversary in office. Having realised that it won't return to power in the state, the ruling BJP at the Centre is misusing its official machinery against its political opponents”.
Maharashtra Congress state President and Revenue Minister Balasaheb Thorat charged that the BJP was “musing” all its central agencies for political gains and to build pressure on its opponents. “The BJP has been consistently targeting political opponents like this. Have you ever heard about any raids on people linked with BJP,” Thorat asked.
NCP senior leader Chhagan Bhujbal also accused the BJP of “misusing” central agencies to harass its political opponents. “First, it (BJP) targetted (NCP President) Sharad Pawar with a notice last year, later on it acted against other Opposition party leaders in Rajasthan, Maharashtra or other states. This is sheer vendetta politics. But they will never succeed in their intentions,” Bhujbal said.
Meanwhile, former chief minister and current leader of Opposition in the state Assembly Devendra Fadnavis defended the ED’s action, saying that the central agency would not take such a step without concrete evidence.
Talking to media persons at Solapur in western Maharashtra, Fadnavis said, “I am not aware of all the details. But I firmly believe if the ED takes action, it must have some concrete proof… If one has not done anything wrong, there is nothing to fear”.
Fadnavis went onto say that the central agencies such as CBI and ED were autonomous and they had their own mechanism to carry out investigations.