Maharashtra: ED action on MVA leaders, their kin

Around a dozen senior MVA leaders are presently being investigated by central agencies. MOHAMED THAVER and KHUSHBOO NARAYAN list out the charges the MVA leaders or their close family members face:

Sharad Pawar: In September 2019, the ED booked the NCP chief, his nephew Ajit Pawar and others in a criminal case of money laundering linked to the alleged Rs 25,000-crore scam in Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank (MSCB). When his name came up in the case, Sharad Pawar had decided to “voluntarily” visit the ED office, but was stopped midway when the ED said his presence was not required.

Praful Patel: In October 2019, Praful Patel was questioned by the ED in connection with the Ceejay House property which was develepoed by a company that has links to him and his family developed by him and his family. Family members of gangster Iqbal Mirchi owned a 14,000-square-feet duplex in the property in Mumbai’s Worli.

Eknath Khadse: The ED registered a case against Eknath Khadse in 2019, and in September 2021, it submitted a prosecution complaint (chargesheet) against him, his wife Mandakini and son-in-law Girish Chaudhari in connection with a money laundering case related to Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation land in Pune’s Bhosari village. The ED also attached assets and properties belonging to Khadse. Khadse, who was formerly with the BJP, joined the NCP in 2020.

Pratap Sarnaik: In November 2020, the ED raided the Shiv Sena MLA’s residence and office in connection with an alleged Rs 175-crore money laundering, and has been investigating whether he played a role in the case. The agency later issued summons to Sarnaik.

Varsha Raut (Sanjay Raut’s wife): In January 2021, the ED had questioned Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut’s wife Varsha Raut in connection with the PMC Bank case and her purported links with businessman Pravin Raut’s wife. Pravin Raut was arrested this month by the ED in a case that pertains to alleged irregularities in the sale of FSI (floor space index) of a plot by a firm linked to him and is a subsidiary company of the Housing Development Infrastructure Ltd. While seeking his remand, the ED claimed before a special court that Pravin Raut made payments to a “politically exposed person” and is “acting as a front” or in collusion with some influential people.

Priti Shroff (Sushil Kumar Shinde’s daughter): In March 2021, the ED attached assets worth more than Rs 35 crore belonging to Congress leader  Sushil Kumar Shinde’s daughter Priti Shroff and her husband Raj Shroff in a money laundering case linked to alleged bank fraud.

Anil Bhosale: The ED arrested NCP leader Anil Bhosale in March 2021 in connection with a Pune-based cooperative bank fraud case. The agency alleged that Bhosale, who was the director of Shivajirao Bhosale Co-operative Bank Ltd, had misused his position, conspired with the co-accused and siphoned off money from the bank.

Ajit Pawar: In July 2021, the ED attached a sugar mill worth Rs 65 crore in Satara that was leased to a company which has links to the Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and his wife, Sunetra, as part of an investigation into a money laundering case related to the Maharashtra State Co-operative Bank. More than 70 politicians are accused in the case.

Anandrao Adsul: In September 2021, the ED questioned the Shiv Sena MP in connection with an alleged Rs 890-crore fraud at the city co-operative bank. He was questioned at his residence, and later developed health complications due to which he was hospitalised.

Anil Deshmukh: The NCP leader and former state home minister is in jail after his arrest in November 2021 by the ED on money laundering charges. The ED alleged that money collected by dismissed police officer Sachin Waze was routed to Deshmukh through a Nagpur-based trust.

Anil Parab: In September 2021, the Shiv Sena leader appeared before the ED in connection with an alleged bribery and money laundering case linked to Deshmukh.

Bhavana Gawali: In 2021, the ED attached an office building worth Rs 3.75 crore of Saeed Khan, an aide of Shiv Sena MP Gawali, in connection with a money laundering investigation into an NGO run by Gawali and her mother that was later converted into a company.