Third MVA minister under ED’S scanner
MUMBAI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday raided several properties in Mumbai, Pune and coastal Ratnagiri linked to Maharashtra transport and parliamentary affairs minister Anil Parab as part of a probe on alleged money-laundering and Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) violations in connection with a resort in coastal Ratnagiri that Parab purportedly owned.
The federal agency filed a fresh case against the minister and others under criminal sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and raided at least seven premises, including the 57-year-old Shiv Sena leader’s private residence in Bandra, his official bungalow Ajinkyatara in Nariman
Point, the Sai Resort and Sea Conch Beach Resort in Dapoli, Ratnagiri as well as the Pune residence of Vibhas Sathe, the man who allegedly sold the Dapoli land to Parab in 2017.
“The Dapoli resort is owned by Sadanand Kadam. He has told the same to the court and even submitted details of all the expenditure (related to the resort),” Parab told reporters on Thursday evening after ED personnel left his official residence.
Several Shiv Sena workers gathered outside the minister’s official as well as personal residence in Mumbai to hold protest against the ED raids.
“The action by Central investigating agencies against Anil Parab and other leaders of our party are happening with political vindictiveness. The party and the [Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA)] government firmly stand behind Anil Parab. Such actions will not bring our morale down,” Sena spokesperson Sanjay Raut said.
“Anil Parab’s imprisonment is inevitable as he has been involved in multiple criminal cases,” said Bharatiya Janata Party leader Kirit Somaiya.