Rubbishing news reports claiming that the Enforcement Directorate attached Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut's properties in connection with the Patra Chawl land scam case, the law enforcement agency on Tuesday clarified that it has provisionally attached assets worth Rs 11.15 crore of three people, including Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut's wife Varsha Raut, in a case related to irregularities in a chawl redevelopment project at Mumbai's Goregaon.
The assets of Varsha and the two others -- businessman Pravin Raut, and Swapna Patkar, wife of the MP's close associate Sujit Patkar -- have been attached under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
In an official press note by the ED, it read, "Directorate of Enforcement has provisionally attached immovable properties totalling to Rs 11,15,56,573 under the provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA) in a case relating to irregularities in the redevelopment of Patrachawal Project at Goregaon, Mumbai by M/s Guru Ashish Construction Pvt Ltd. The attached assets are in form of lands held by Pravin M Raut, former director of Guru Ashish Construction Pvt Ltd, Mumbai at Palghar, Saphale, Padga, flat at Dadar of Varsha Raut and plots at Kihim beach at Alibaug jointly held by Varsha Raut, wife of Sanjay Raut and Swapna Patkar wife of Sujit Patkar."
ED has initiated an investigation under provisions of PMLA, 2002 on the basis of an FIR dated March 13, 2018, registered against M/s Guru Ashish Construction Pvt Ltd Rakesh Kumar Wadhwan, Sarang Kumar Wadhwan and others on basis of the complaint filed by Executive Engineer, Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA), Mumbai invoking section 409, 420, 120-B of IPC, the official statement by ED read.
"Investigation under PMLA revealed that M/s Guru Ashish Construction Private Ltd was entrusted the development of Patra Chawal Project for rehabilitation of 672 tenants. During the relevant time Rakesh Kumar Wadhawan, Sarang Wadhwan and Pravin Raut were the Directors of M/s Guru Ashish Construction Pvt Ltd. A tripartite agreement was signed between society MHADA and M/s Guru Ashish Construction Pvt Ltd. According to the agreement, the developer to provide the flats to 672 tenants and develop flats for MHADA and thereafter the remaining area to be sold by the developer," it read.
"The directors of M/s Guru Ashish Constructions mislead MHADA and managed to sell the Forest Survey of India (FSI) to 9 developers and collected approximately Rs 901.79 crores without constructing the rehab portion for 672 displaced tenants and MHADA portion," it read.
The law enforcement agency notified that "Further M/s Guru Ashish Construction Pvt Ltd have also launched one project namely Meadows and took the booking of amount around Rs 138 crores from flat buyers. The total proceeds of the crime generated by Directors of M/s Guru Ashish Constructions Pvt Ltd through the illegal activities was approximately Rs 1039.79 crore. The part of the proceeds of the crime was further transferred to close associates."
Money trail investigation conducted so far revealed that around Rs 100 crore were transferred from HDIL (a construction company) to the account of Pravin Raut. This amount were further diverted by Pravin Raut to various accounts of his close associates, family member, his business entities etc. It is also revealed that during 2010 part of the proceeds of Crime amounting to Rs 55 lakhs was received in the account of Smt Varsha Raut wife of Sanjay Raut from Madhuri Pravin Raut wife of Pravin Raut. This amount was utilized by Varsha Raut.
( With inputs from ANI )
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