ED grills Sanjay Raut, wife in Patra Chawl scam case

New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is grilling Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut and his wife Varsha Raut in connection with the Prevention of Money Laundering case pertaining to the Patra Chawl land scam case. Raut is already in ED custody while his wife was summoned to join the investigation last Thursday. Varsha was summoned after transactions done on her account came to light. ED is likely to ask her about this transaction. Sanjay Raut was on Sunday arrested by the ED after he skipped several summons. He was sent to ED custody later on by the court.

The ED had earlier questioned Pune businessman Avinash Bhosale in DHFL Yes Bank case, and the sources claimed that they wanted to grill Raut in this matter too.

Sources said that Patra Chawl case of ED is also linked to DHFL case. In April, the ED had attached Raut's property in connection with the land scam. Property worth Rs 9 crore of Raut's associate Pravin Raut and assets worth Rs 2 crore belonging to Varsha Raut, the wife of Sanjay Raut, were attached by the ED.

Pravin had eight parcels of land in Alibaug and a flat registered in the name of Varsha Raut which was attached. The ED had arrested Pravin in connection with the matter.

"We have filed a charge sheet in the matter against Pravin, Sarang Wadhawan and Rakesh Wadhawan of HDIL and Guru Ashish Construction and others," said an ED official. The ED came to know during the probe that Pravin allegedly paid Rs 55 lakh to Varsha. This was paid from the bank account of Pravin's wife.

The money was termed as proceeds of crime by the ED.

It has also alleged that the travel expenses of Sanjay Raut were borne by Pravin which included his hotel stay and air tickets.