PMC Bank Case: Sanjay Raut’s Wife To Appear Before ED on 5 Jan

Varsha Raut had sought time from the Enforcement Directorate upon being summoned earlier.

Enforcement Directorate has summoned Varsha Raut, wife of Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut, for questioning in the PMC Bank money laundering case on 29 December, officials said on Sunday.

(Photo: Twitter)

Varsha Raut, wife of Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut will appear before Enforcement Directorate (ED) on 5 January, 2021 in the PMC Bank scam case. This development came after she sought time from the agency upon being summoned earlier on 29 December.

According to India Today, the summon has been issued in connection with a loan of Rs 55 lakh by Varsha Raut from one Madhuri Pravin Raut.

Madhuri Pravin Raut, according to India Today, is the wife of Pravin Raut, the director of a company named Guruashish Constructions, which, on its part, is a subsidiary of HDIL (Housing Development Infrastructure Limited).

According to ED, statements of Pravin Raut & his wife have already been recorded and only Varsha Raut is left to give her statement.

Background

Varsha Raut was summoned by the ED in the case on Tuesday, under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), for allegedly receiving funds siphoned from the bank. This was the third summon that was issued as she had skipped the earlier two citing health reasons.

In a press conference held on Monday afternoon, Raut lashed out at the BJP and accused the party of using central agencies to target his family for political vendetta.

“Politics is about face-to-face conflict. Targeting women of a household is an act of cowardice,” he said.

The ED has been probing certain officials in the alleged loan fraud in the Punjab and Maharashtra Co-operative (PMC) Bank since October last year, against the Housing Development Infrastructure Ltd (HDIL) for allegedly causing "wrongful loss, prima facie to the tune of Rs 4,355 crore to PMC Bank, and corresponding gains to themselves".