ED raids premises of partner of Sena leader's daughters in Rs 1,034 Cr land scam

Mumbai, Feb 3 (IANS) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday conducted raids in connection with a Rs 1,034 crore land scam at the house of Sujit Patkar, who is reportedly a business partner of Purvashi and Vidhita, the daughters of Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut.

The ED had on Wednesday arrested Pravin M. Raut, the former director of Guru Ashish Construction Pvt Ltd, Mumbai. He is currently in ED custody for eight days.

On February 1, the ED conducted a search operation at the house of Pravin M. Raut. His statement was also recorded under section 50 of PMLA. Property worth Rs 72.65 crore of Praveen M. Raut was also attached by the ED in another case.

The official said that Guru Ashish Construction Pvt Ltd was involved in redevelopment of Patra Chawl Goregaon, Mumbai. Patra Chawl had 672 tenants in tenements on 47 acres of land belonging to Maharashtra Housing Area Development Authority (MHADA).

Now the ED is probing the role of Sujit Patkar in the case.

The official said that the ED initiated investigation under the provisions of PMLA on the basis of the FIR registered by EOW, Mumbai invoking Section 120 read with 420 and 409 of IPC.

Guru Ashish Construction Pvt Ltd had entered into a tripartite agreement with the tenants and MHADA to redevelop Patra Chawl, Goregaon, Mumbai.

Parvin Raut along with Rakesh Kumar Wadhawan and Sarang Wadhawan, Directors of Guru Ashish Constructions Pvt Ltd, in connivance with others illegally sold FSI to various builders for Rs 1,034 Crore. This was done without constructing the rehab flats and flats to be handed over to MHADA, which was the pre requisite.

"Investigation conducted under PMLA, revealed that Pravin Raut being Director of Guru Ashish Construction Pvt Ltd played an active role in the redevelopment project and in connivance with Rakesh Kumar Wadhawan and Sarang Wadhawan, managed to divert the Proceeds of Crime more than Rs 1,000 crore by harming the interest of 672 tenants and buyers," said the ED official.

The official said that in addition to Rs 1,034 crore received from various builders, they had also obtained Bank loans.

It was also learnt that during 2010 Pravin Raut received Rs 95 crore in his bank account in the guise of sale of equity and land deal though the company was not able to complete the project and had not generated any income.

The probe in the matter is underway.