RAUT’S WIFE GOT ₹14 LAKH PROFIT BY INVESTING ₹5,625, SAYS ED

MUMBAI: Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut’s wife Varsha had earned a profit of ₹14 lakh from an investment of ₹5,625 in a partnership firm that constructed a small building at Santacruz, said the chargesheet filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) against Pravin Raut, former director of Guruashish Constructions.

ED filed the chargesheet before the special Prevention of Money Laundering Act court on April 1.

Pravin, arrested by ED in connection with the Patra Chawl redevelopment scam, has revealed in his statement to the agency that Varsha Raut was a partner in Avani Infrastructure along with Pravin’s wife Madhuri, Samir Kavle, Pratima Kelekar and Meghaji Patel. The firm undertook a redevelopment project and constructed a small building – Tulip Residency – at Santacruz west.

According to his statement, Varsha had invested ₹5,625 in the firm and earned a profit of ₹14 lakh, whereas Madhuri Raut had invested ₹13.05 lakh and earned a profit of ₹14 lakh. Kelekar, who had invested ₹10 lakh, earned a profit of ₹28 lakh.

ED initiated a money-laundering probe on the basis of the Mumbai police’s economic offences wing’s March 2018 FIR registered against Guruashish Constructions Pvt Ltd, Rakesh Kumar Wadhwan, Sarang Kumar Wadhwan, Pravin, and others. The FIR was based on a complaint filed by a MHADA (Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority) officer.

On April 5, the agency provisionally attached immovable properties worth ₹11.15 crore, including a flat at Dadar, held by Varsha and eight land parcels at Kihim near Alibag, jointly held by the latter with Swapna Patkar, as part of its probe into the redevelopment scam. Swapna is the wife of Sujit Patkar, a close associate of the Sena leader. The agency also attached some land parcels in Palghar and at Saphale and Padgha villages in Thane district, which belong to Pravin.