Mumbai: A special Bombay court on Tuesday extended the judicial custody of Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut till October 10 in the Patra Chawl land scam case. A special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) Court had extended the judicial custody of the Shiv Sena MP by 14 days in connection with the same case earlier on September 19.
The Enforcement Directorate arrested Raut on August 1 in connection with alleged financial irregularities in the redevelopment of the Patra Chawl in suburban Goregaon. He was sent to judicial custody for 14 days after being in the ED's custody initially until August 8. A special PMLA court thereafter extended Raut's custody till September 5 on August 22, which was further extended till September 19.
Also read: No proof to link Raut to Patra Chawl scam: Lawyer; court adjourns bail hearing to Oct 10
The ED officials had launched raids at the Shiv Sena leader's home on July 31, and after detaining and questioning him for several hours, had arrested him on August 1. On June 28 this year, Sanjay Raut was summoned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the same scam attached with Rs 1,034 crore. Back in August, Raut's wife was also summoned by the agency in connection with the scam. In April this year, the ED had attached immovable properties worth Rs 11.15 crore, including a flat at Dadar, held by Sanjay Raut's wife Varsha, and eight land parcels at Kihim near Alibag, jointly held by the latter with Swapna Patkar.
Raut is a close aide of former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. According to sources, ED officials seized Rs 11.50 lakhs unaccounted cash from his residence during the raids. Soon after the ED officials detained him in connection with the Patra Chawl land scam case, the Shiv Sena leader said that he "won't be cowed down".
