Has Union government privatised prisons, central probe agencies? Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut

MUMBAI: Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Sunday took a swipe at the BJP, wondering if the Union government has privatised prisons and central probe agencies.

Speaking to reporters here, Raut said every day BJP leaders, who recently joined the party and had "no connection with the party ideology", were threatening to put political rivals in jail.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi is privatising all public and government assets. Have prisons and central probe agencies been privatised? Are prisons your private property?" the Rajya Sabha member sought to know.

Notably, former Maharashtra home minister and NCP leader Anil Deshmukh, whose party shares power with the Shiv Sena and Congress in the state, was earlier this month arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a money laundering case.

Maharashtra Transport Minister and Shiv Sena MLA Anil Parab had earlier appeared before the ED in connection with a money laundering case registered against Deshmukh and others.

The Income Tax department last month raided some businesses linked to family members of state Deputy Chief Minister and NCP leader Ajit Pawar.

The ED recently summoned Shiv Sena MP Bhavana Gawali in another money laundering case.

The agency had arrested her aide Saeed Khan in this criminal case filed under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering (PMLA) Act.