Maharashtra: Will expose Rs 100 crore money laundering by Uddhav Thackeray, kin, says Kirit Somaiya

MUMBAI: BJP leader Kirit

Somaiya

on Tuesday said that not just the dirty dozen, he would expose the Rs 100-crore money laundering done by chief minister Uddhav Thackeray and his family members.

"I have already exposed the Rs 7 crore scam of Aaditya Thackeray and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached the properties owned by

Sridhar Patankar

[Uddhav Thackeray's brother-in-law]," Somaiya said.

Addressing a press conference at the state BJP headquarters after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) attached

Shiv Sena MP

and chief spokesperson Sanjay Raut's wife's property, Somaiya said eight months ago,

Raut

had been served three summons by the investigating agency. "On receiving the third summons, he went to the ED office. Asked about Rs 55 lakh deposited in his account from that of Pravin Raut, Sanjay Raut said his wife Varsha and Pravin's wife were close friends. He claimed it was an interest-free loan and he deposited the money with ED," said Somaiya, adding that Raut still has to answer about his foreign trips, including the ownership of the Innova he takes to Parliament. "Who paid for the air fares, the hotel stay and the local travel? Raut has not responded to these queries yet," he said.

The former BJP MP further claimed that Raut is also being probed with regard to land owned by Pearl Group properties seized by SEBI, out of which a plot of land in Naigaon had been extricated and given to Pravin Raut and Sanjay Raut was to be paid Rs 100 crore.

BJP state president Chandrakant Patil refused to comment on the ED action saying Sanjay Raut is no great cricketer, writer or poet for him to comment on.

BJP leader

Sudhir Mungantiwar

said notices have been issued to (opposition leaders) Pravin Darekar and Devendra Fadnavis. "The ED is an investigating agency and is only doing its job," he said.

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