: Sena MP Sanjay Raut detained, ED whisks him off for Patra Chawl scam probe (Ld) #IndiaNEWS #National,Politics Mumbai, July 31 (IANS) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) detained Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut

Sena MP Sanjay Raut detained, ED whisks him off for Patra Chawl scam probe (Ld) #IndiaNEWS #National ,Politics
Mumbai, July 31 (IANS) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) detained Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut in connection with an alleged money-laundering case in the Patra Chawl land scam, here on Sunday evening.
He was earlier grilled for several hours prior to shifting him to the ED office for further action with arrest not ruled out on alleged grounds of non-cooperation with the probe.
As he was escorted out of his Maitri bungalow, Raut waved at the hundreds of supporters waiting outside, while his wife Varsha, mother and other family members looked on grimly.
En route, Raut told a private news channel on phone that he was fully cooperating with the ED and would not be cowed down by the political tactics employed to destroy the Shiv Sena.
I am not scared Theres no question of non-cooperation with the law, I am ready to sacrifice myself for the Shiv Sena. The ED team came without giving any notice early morning, no papers have been found from me on this so-called case, Raut said.
He reiterated that he was being pressurised in the past to help topple the erstwhile Maha Vikas Aghadi government (which fell on June 29), and termed the ED allegations against him as false, declaring he would not bend before anybody, but continue to fight against the Bharatiya Janata Party.
Raut said that he had sought time from the ED since he was tied up in the upcoming Vice-Presidential elections for which he was coordinating with various Opposition parties.
The party is behind me, Uddhav Thackeray is supporting me We shall not surrender before such pressures, intended to silence us and finish off Shiv Sena, Raut declared.
Earlier, his brother MLA Sunil Raut told a private news channel that the ED could not locate certain documents pertaining to the Patra Chawl case, leading to Sanjay Rauts detention and he would be taken to the ED offices.
The ED action came after its sleuths swooped on Rauts Bhandup residence, Maitri at dawn on Sunday and carried out searches for over 9 hours.
The developments followed Raut skipping two ED summons and then seeking time till August 7 as he was tied up in parliament-related commitments.
Hundreds of Shiv Sainiks converged outside and staged protests, raised slogans and condemned the detention and arrest of Raut.
The ED move comes a day ahead of the crucial hearing before the Supreme Court pertaining to the disqualification of 16 rebel Shiv Sena MLAs which could chart the further course of Maharashtra politics, in an upheaval since June 20.
The government had deployed tight security by the Mumbai Police and Central Reserve Police Force, to avoid any untoward incident.
ED had earlier questioned Pune businessman Avinash Bhosale into custody in DHFL Yes Bank case, and sources claimed that they wanted to grill Raut in this matter too.