Shiv Sena legislator Pratap Sarnaik is likely to be questioned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) this week in connection with a money-laundering case.
The ED had arrested one Amit Chandole, 46, a Thane resident on November 25 in the case involving alleged misappropriations in a contract bagged by Tops Grup with the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA).
The ED during arguments in court had referred to Chandole as Sarnaik’s confidante.
The agency, however, failed to secure further custody of Chandole on Sunday and he was remanded to judicial custody up to December 9.
The ED had last week conducted searches on the premises linked with Sarnaik and Tops Grup in connection with the case. Sarnaik had sought time appearing before the agency as he was in quarantine. The ED, referring to the statements recorded in the case, had told the court that “it appears that Tops Grup obtained a contract from MMRDA in collusion with Sarnaik through illegal means by a well thought out strategy. The aim of these illegal maneuvers was to get additional inadmissible benefit by inflating the bills.”
Sarnaik is the Sena MLA from the Ovala-Majiwada constituency. His son Vihang, an active member of the Yuva Sena, the Sena's youth wing, was taken to the ED office from the family residence. He was questioned by officials and was released late in the evening. Sarnaik was out of Mumbai when the raids were conducted. Vihang has also been summoned in the case.
The ED registered a case on the basis of the FIR registered with Yellow Gate police station. As per the FIR filed by Ramesh Iyer from Tops Grup, Rahul Nanda, promoter and chairman of the group, and other connected persons diverted huge funds from the account of Tops Grup companies to various accounts in India and to accounts of overseas companies. As per the allegations, the company was defrauded to the tune of Rs 175 crore. Nanda had earlier denied allegations.
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