Shiv Sena chief Sanjay Raut spent some emotional time with his family on Sunday before being transferred to the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case.
In the midst of the Shiv Sena’s difficulties, Raut, 60, was arrested by the central probe agency on Sunday midnight after his home was searched for about nine hours. A sum of 11 lakhs is claimed to have been discovered at the Shiv Sena leader’s house. However, his brother, Sunil Raut, told reporters that the money belonged to the Ayodhya fund.
The arrest of Raut comes as the Shiv Sena continues to deal with an internal schism caused by Eknath Shinde’s mutiny against Uddhav Thackeray. The schism has now spread to the Supreme Court.
Raut can be seen hugging his mother in a footage posted by news agency ANI before being escorted to the ED office. Raut was spotted waving to supporters from his house after claiming in a series of tweets that he had nothing to do with the hoax.
“False action, false evidence.” I shall die, but I will not submit. I will never leave the Shiv Sena. I vow by Balasaheb Thackeray that I am not involved in any scheme. “He taught us to fight, and I shall continue to fight for Shiv Sena,” he tweeted as the searches began.
