AVarsha Raut, wife of Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut, on Tuesday sought and obtained four more days’ time to appear before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the PMC Bank scam, even as her husband and Sena MP said that being a lawmaker himself, he respected law and would respond to the notice as per the stipulated timeline.
Talking to media persons here, Raut said: “We have asked for about four more days ( to respond to notice)... I have still not seen the notice but will reply to it. Despite our political differences (with the ruling BJP at the Centre), we respect the central agencies. The ED action is nothing but political vendetta and everybody knows it. I am a Rajya Sabha MP and a lawmaker. I will respect the law and will respond to the notice”. Unconfirmed reports said that Varsha had sought time till January 5 to appear before the ED.
The ED is investigating alleged financial transactions between Varsha Raut and Pravin Raut, who is under arrest in the PMC Bank case.
The ED is understood to have laid hands on the details linking transactions between the accounts of Varsha and Pravin Raut. Meanwhile, former MP and BJP leader Kirit Somaiya demanded to know as to what is the relation between Varsha Raut and Pravin Raut. “This is the 3rd Summons of ED. Sanjay Raut Family not appearing before ED Why Sanjay Raut Family running away? ED Investigating Crores of Rupees Transactions between PMC Bank, HDIL, Pravin Raut Family & Sanjay Raut Family What is Special Relations of Sanjay Raut Pravin Raut Family,” Somaiya tweeted.
Along with his second tweet, Somaiya put out a copy of company master sheet of Siddhant Syscon Pvt Ltd, of which he alleged Varsha Sanjay Raut & Madhuri Pravin Raut were directors. “#SanjayRaut Sach Bolo. Raut Families are Partners. Varsha Sanjay Raut & Madhuri Pravin Raut were Directors in Siddhant Syscon Pvt Ltd #PravinRaut Director in HDIL's Subsidiary GuruAshish Construction Co Crores of Rupees transferred from #PMCBank to #HDIL to Raut's Companies,” the BJP leader tweeted. It may be recalled that on September 24 last year placed Punjab & Maharashtra Cooperative (PMC) Bank Ltd under regulatory restrictions, following the detection of the scam.
The ED registered a case of money laundering against HDIL promoter Rakesh Kumar Wadhawan, his son Sarang Wadhawan, Waryam Singh and Joy Thomas, the then Chairman and Managing Director of PMC Bank Ltd, respectively and others on the basis of an FIR registered by the Mumbai Police's Economic Offences Wing in September last year. The FIR was registered for causing wrongful loss to the tune of Rs 4,355 crore to PMC Bank and corresponding gain to themselves.
Hitting out at the BJP-led NDA for “misusing” its investigating agencies against its political rivals, Raut had said at a news conference here on Monday : “Targetting the women of a household is an act of cowardice. We are not scared 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 had 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... All those who played key roles in the formation of MVA government last year are being targeted by the BJP-led government through various agencies”.