In a development that the ruling Shiv Sena linked to Union Minister Narayan Rane’s recent arrest, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Sunday summoned Sena leader and State Transport Minister Anil Parab for questioning on Tuesday.
Notwithstanding Shiv Sena’s spokesperson Sanjay Raut’s allegation linking the ED summons to Rane’s arrest during the latter’s recent “Jan Ashirward Yatra”, official sources said that Parab had been summoned for questioning in connection with the allegations of corruption made incarcerated police officer Sachin Vaze against Parab. Disclosing that ED had summoned Parab to appear before it for questioning, Raut tweeted: “Shabhaas! As expected, the ED has issued a notice to Parab as soon as Rane’s Jan Sangarsh Yatra ended. The government above (Centre) has got down to work now. Epi-centre of the earthquake was Ratnagiri. Parab is the guardian Minister of Ratnagiri district. You should understand the chronology. We will fight the battle in the courts”.
On his part, Leader of Opposition in the State Legislative Council Pravin Darekar of the BJP denied Raut’s allegations and said the ED notice could in no way be linked with the recent political turmoil witnessed during Rane’s “Jan Ashirward Yatra” the ED must have been based on a complaint lodged with the central investigating agency against him.
It may be recalled that Rane was arrested at Sangamner in Ratnagiri district on August 24 for his “tight-slap” remark against Maharashtra Chief Minister and Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray. However, Rane was granted bail by a Mahad court on the same night.
Following Rane’s arrest, the BJP had charged that Parab, as a guardian minister of Ratnagiri district, had mounted pressure on the district police administration to arrest Rane. The principal opposition party had also demanded a CBI probe into a CBI probe into a video clip that purportedly showed the minister speaking to a senior police official and asking the latter to arrest Rane. Rane resumed his “Jan Ashirward Yatra” from Ratnagiri on August 27. While Rane threatened to unravel the mystery surrounding the deaths of late actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s ex-manager Rajput Disha Salian and Tik-Tok star Pooja Chavan, and “expose” the two MVA ministers’ role in the two deaths.
Rane continued to target the Sena and Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray while Raut wondered why BJP was “shielding’ the Rane family.
During the course of his yatra, Rane had gone on record saying that several MVA leaders are on the radar of the ED and CBI and tough times awaited for the Shiv Sena-led MVA government.
However, informed sources in the ED said that the summons issued to Parab related to an allegation that Vaze had made in April this year that the minister had asked him to collect Rs 50 crore to close a preliminary inquiry against Saifee Burhani Upliftment Trust (SBUT).
It may be recalled that in a four-page hand written letter to the Special Judge of the NIA court on April 7, 2021 Vaze – who is currently in the central investigating agency’s custody in the twin SUV planting and alleged Manshukh Hiran murder cases – had claimed that Parab had called him July-August, 2020 to his official bungalow and look into a complaint concerning the Saifee Burhani Upliftment Trust (SBUT), which was under preliminary enquiry and asked him to bring the SBUT trustees to him for negotiations about the enquiry.
“He ( Parab) also insisted to initiate primary talks to get Rs.50 crore from the SBUT in order to close the said enquiry. I had expressed my inability to do any such things as I do not know anyone from the SBUT and also I did not have any control over the enquiry,” Vaze contended in his letter to the NIA court.
Even at that time, Raut had defended Parab by charging that “a new letter writing trend” had started in the state to destabilise the MVA government by writing letters from behind the bars.
“I have known Anil Parab for a long time. He does not do such things as is being alleged by Vaze. No Shiv Sainik, who has taken oath in the name of late Balasaheb Thackeray, will indulge in these kinds of things. Having the oath of late Balasaheb, Anil Parab has dismissed Vaze’s allegation as false. I have full faith in Anil Parab,” Raut had said.