Shiv Sena’s Sanjay Raut was Charged in the Land Scam Case and arrested

Shiv Sena member Sanjay Raut who is also an MP, was arrested at midnight after hours of inquiry concerning the re-development of a chawl in Mumbai. Mr. Raut, 60, alleged the centre targeted him to weaken Team Thackeray.

Shiv Sena has planned protests across Mumbai over Mr. Raut’s arrest. Speaking to NDTV, Sena’s MP in Rajya Sabha, Priyanka Chaturvedi, said she would raise the issue in parliament. “The BJP is trying to silence those who expose it and the central government. We will not bow down,” she said.

Enforcement Directorate officials had conducted searches in Mr. Raut’s home for the most part of Sunday after he refused to appear for questioning despite being called upon twice.

The probe agency group arrived at the home of the 60-year-old Shiv Sena MP at 7 am on Sunday. But Mr. Raut was taken away to the Enforcement Directorate office only in the evening. The investigators want to question Mr. Raut in relation to the re-development of a chawl in Mumbai and related dealings involving his wife and close associates.

Before entering the Enforcement Directorate office on Sunday, Mr. Raut informed reporters the central anti-financial crime agency’s action was aimed at attempting to weaken the Shiv Sena and that a “false” case was framed against him.

Mr. Raut’s brother said that the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena stands firmly behind the Raut family. “The Shiv Sena and Uddhav Ji stand solidly behind us. Our legal fight (over Sanjay Raut’s arrest) has begun,” Sunil Raut told a news agency.