Uddhav meets Raut’s family after ED arrest in graft case
Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Monday met with family members of party leader Sanjay Raut, arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case, in suburban Mumbai.
Thackeray visited Raut’s residence in Bhandup along with party MP Arvind Sawant, MLA Ravindra Waikar and Sena leader Milind Narvekar.
Raut and Thackeray are known to share a close bond.At Raut’s residence, Thackeray met with his elderly mother, wife, daughters and other family members.
Raut’s mother and wife had turned emotional while he was being taken away by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Sunday.
Talking to reporters here, Thackeray termed Raut, arrested by the ED in a money laundering cases, as a hardcore Shiv Sainik of Sena founder late Bal Thackeray.
“I am proud of Sanjay Raut. What crime has he committed? He is a journalist, a Shiv Sainik, is fearless and speaks what he does not approve of,” Thackeray said.
The former Maharashtra chief minister targeted BJP for what he called vendetta politics.
Earlier in the day, Raut’s brother and party MLA Sunil Raut had told PTI that Thackeray is firmly behind the family of the arrested leader.
The ED had arrested Raut in a money laundering case linked to alleged irregularities in the redevelopment of a Mumbai ‘chawl’ after conducting a ninehour search at his residence, during which ₹11.5 lakh in cash was seized.
Raut had denied the allegations and said he was framed owing to political vendetta.
Meanwhile, in a dig at Uddhav Thackeray visiting Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut’s home, a rebel MLA on Monday said sainiks would have been happy had he also given time to leaders Pratap Sarnaik and Yashwant Jadhav facing the Enforcement Directorate action.
Earlier in the day, Thackeray met with the family members of Raut, arrested by the ED in a money laundering case, at the latter’s residence in Mumbai.”
Had Uddhav Thackeray also given time to Pratap Sarnaik (rebel Sena MLA from Thane) and Yashwant Jadhav (former head of Mumbai civic body’s standing committee) who faced the ED action, it would have made Shivsainks happy,” MLA Sanjay Shirsat told reporters in Aurangabad.