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HomeCrimeED Raids Premises Connected to Shiv Sena MLA Pratap Sarnaik

ED Raids Premises Connected to Shiv Sena MLA Pratap Sarnaik

Mumbai: In a big shock to the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) with a large posse of CRPF personnel raided the house of senior Shiv Sena leader Pratap Sarnaik and about 9 other premises, here on Tuesday morning.

The ED teams arrived at Sarnaik’s Thane home, when he was not present, other than specific areas including a leading security services agency.

The raids were being conducted simultaneously at the areas in Mumbai and Thane under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), official sources stated.

Sarnaik, 56, is a three-time MLA from the Ovala-Majiwada constituency in Thane and is the Chairman of Vihang Group of Companies with interests in different sectors.

The ruling Shiv Sena-Nationalist Congress Party-Congress slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for utilizing central agencies to pressurize the MVA government and demoralize its leaders.

Sarnaik has been critical of Bollywood entertainer Kangana Ranaut and Republic TV Chief Editor Arnab Goswami in the previous few weeks.

He had demanded action against Ranaut when she equated Mumbai with Pakistan Occupied Kashmir and the reopening of the Anvay Naik and his mother’s suicide case in which Goswami had been apprehended earlier this month.

Sena Chief Spokesperson Sanjay Raut attacked the Centre for utilizing raids as a political weapon to against rivals.

Raut stated, “We all know that the ED and CBI are being misused… They are puppets in the hands of the Centre. But, we will not bow down before anybody.”

He repeated that the MVA government is steady and will finish its full remaining term of four years.

At the same time, he warned that even the Shiv Sena has files about all the murky dealings of BJP heads.

NCP senior leader and Food and Civil Supplies Minister Chhagan Bhujbal stated that the BJP utilizes central agencies to harass the individuals who are critical of them.

Bhujbal stated, “First they targeted (NCP President) Sharad Pawar with a notice last year, and then many other Opposition party leaders in Rajasthan, Maharashtra or other states… This is sheer vendetta politics. But they will never succeed in their intentions.”

Congress state President and Revenue Minister Balasaheb Thorat aimed at the BJP stating “all central agencies are being misused for political gains to build pressures”.

Thorat demanded, “The BJP has been constantly targeting political opponents like this… Have you ever heard about any raids on people linked with BJP?”

 

 

 

source: with input from ians