Mumbai: Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut reached the Enforcement Directorate (ED) office Friday afternoon after the probe agency issued a second notice to him in regards to the Patra Chawl land redevelopment case. This comes a day after rebel Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde got sworn in as the new chief minister of Maharashtra with former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis as his Deputy.
"I will be appearing before the ED today at 12 noon. I respect the summons issued to me and it is my duty to co-operate with the investigating agencies. I appeal to Shivsena workers not to gather at the ED office," Sanjay Raut tweeted Thursday morning.
The Shiv Sena leader has often criticized the investigating agencies while talking to the media. "I have got some time off from party work. So, I am going to face the ED tomorrow. Attempts are being made to put pressure on me not to do party work. But, I will not back down," said Raut. He had appealed to Shiv Sena workers not to gather at the office.
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Sanjay Raut's request for an extension of time to appear was issued two days ago by the ED. According to the first notice, Sanjay Raut was supposed to appear at the ED office on June 28, however, his lawyers approached the agency to seek more time since Raut was on a visit to Alibaug in Maharashtra's Raigad district then.
Earlier, Sanjay Raut had said on Twitter, "I just understood that the ED has sent a summons to me. Nice. Big things are happening in Maharashtra. We are all in the great battle of Balasaheb's Shiv Sainiks. To stop me ... this conspiracy is going on. Even if my neck is cut, I will not accept the route to Guwahati. Come on ... arrest me! Jai Maharashtra!"
Raut had also accused the rebel MLAs of taking the route they have taken out of the fear of facing summons or notice from investigating agencies like the ED. Raut had been a staunch supporter of the Uddhav Thackeray camp and strongly criticized those MLAs who have joined Eknath Shinde at Guwahati.
