Maharashtra News Live Updates: Sanjay Raut to be produced in court today

Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole on Sunday alleged that Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut's detention by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is an attempt by BJP to divert attention from governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari's controversial statement that had hurt the feelings of the Marathi manoos. Governor had recently remarked that Mumbai would not remain the financial capital if people from Gujarat and Rajasthan were taken out of the state. The remark had caused a political storm and drew criticism.

Shiv Sena workers will stage protests against the arrest of the party MP Sanjay Raut by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), his MLA brother Sunil Raut said on Monday. He said Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena stands firmly behind the Raut family.

The stormy petrel of Shiv Sena and four-time Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut, who was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday, shall be produced before a special court later in the day. After an 18-hour suspense starting with a raid by the ED on Raut's home at dawn on Sunday, then his detention and grilling, the firebrand MP was finally arrested in the early hours of Monday in connection with the alleged Rs 1,034-crore Patra Chawl land scam case.

Heavy police bandobast was deployed outside Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut’s Bhandup bungalow on Sunday and senior police officers rushed to the spot to control the crowd that gathered there a s news of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) raid spread. Raut waved out to them a few times while the search was on. Around 7am, ED officials started searching Raut’s bungalow. Aroun d 4pm, the ED asked him to accompany them to their zonal office at Ballard Estate. He left for the ED office with the trademark Shiv Sena’s saffron scarf around his neck, waving to supporters from the sunroof of his SUV. Outside the ED office buildings, heavy police bandobast was deployed and barricades placed. Raut’s MLA brother Sunil and a handful of his friends were allowed to stand n ear the ED office building, which is guarded by CISF personnel. Raut was arrested a little after midnight.

The ED arrested Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut a little after Sunday midnight following an eight-hour raid at his Bhandup bungalow, during which Rs 11. 5 lakh in cash was seized, in connection with alleged money laundering in the Rs 1,200-crore Patra Chawl redevelopment case. Raut’s wife Varsha, mother and MLA brother Sunil were at home during the search that started around 7am. Around 4pm, Raut left for the ED office in south Mumbai even as anxious Sainiks and Sunil waited outside. The ED additional director, who arrived from Delhi late night, questioned Raut after which he was arrested “for non-cooperation in the investigation”, sources said.

Maharashtra on Sunday reported 1,849 fresh Covid-19 cases, including 322 in Mumbai, and three fatalities, taking the tally to 80,47,455 and the toll to 1,48,104, a health official said. The fresh fatalities were reported from Mumbai (2) and Ratnagiri district (1).