Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray-led MVA government on Tuesday formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the extortion allegations levelled against some Enforcement Directorate (ED) officers by Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut. Maharashtra Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil informed of the development on Tuesday. “The SIT has been formed under an officer named Veeresh Prabhu. We have given the SIT the time required to probe the matter,” he told reporters.
Raut had alleged in a press conference last month that some Enforcement Directorate officers were acting as an “ATM” for the BJP. He had also said the Mumbai Police were probing extortion charges against four officers of the Central agency and some of them will go to jail. The Sena MP didn't reveal any names while making the allegations.
Notably, the announcement of the SIT came against the backdrop of reports that Shiv Sena leadership felt that the NCP was going "soft" on the BJP.
Meanwhile, the ED attached eight land parcels in Alibaug and a flat in Mumbai's Dadar suburb linked to Raut and his family under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. Maharashtra NCP chief spokesperson Mahesh Tapase targatted the BJP saying it wants to defame the MVA government through such moves, as the NDA constituent could not form a government in the state after the 2019 Assembly polls.
Meanwhile, Raut said that he is not afraid and even said that he saw this coming. Speaking to news agency ANI, he said, "I'm not one to get scared, seize my property, shoot me, or send me to jail, Sanjay Raut is Balasaheb Thackeray's follower & a Shiv Sainik, he'll fight & expose everyone. I'm not one to stay quiet, let them dance. The truth will prevail."
The Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress formed the MVA in late 2019 after the Sena broke away from long-time ally BJP over sharing of the chief ministerial tenure.
(With PTI Inputs)
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