Sanjay Raut Demands ED Probe Into Alleged 500 Crore Maratha Quota Scam

(MENAFN- AsiaNet News)

Sanjay Raut Demands ED Investigation

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], October 26 (ANI): Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Monday wrote to Union Home Minister Amit Shah demanding an Enforcement Directorate (ED) investigation into allegations that an attempt was made to give Maratha quota activist Jarange Patil Rs 500 crore by Shiv Sena MP and son of Eknath Shinde, Shrikant Shinde, to allegedly weaken the Maratha agitation.“This is a matter under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Kindly entrust the investigation to the Enforcement Directorate (ED),” Raut wrote on X.

Posting the letter to the Union Minister on X, Raut said that apart from the BJP“buying MPs and MLA”, the party has allegedly started“begun buying agitations as well”.“The ₹500 crore matter in Maharashtra must have surely reached you by now. Until now, the BJP has been buying MPs, MLAs, political parties and elections. Now it has begun buying agitations as well. The BJP handed over money to Shrikant Shinde so that ₹500 crore could be given to Manoj Jarange Patil. Where did this money come from? And did it actually reach Jarange or not?” Raut added in his post.

Details of the Alleged PMLA Violation

In the letter to the Union Home Minister, Raut wrote,“As per Patil's revelations this was just done before the 2024 state assembly elections in Maharashtra to silence him and bring his agitation for Maratha Reservation to an end. These revelations, in the form of an audio clip, by Manoj Jarange Patil are of extremely serious nature in many ways. However, the most shocking and serious issue is the involvement of huge amount of Rs. 500 crores.” Raut has said that the serious allegations warrant an investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), calling for an inquiry to find out“who from the BJP gave Rs 500 crore to Eknath Shinde” and where the money went, alleging that the money did not even reach Jarange Patil.

Call for High-Level Probe

“I fervently urge you to order the Maharashtra Police and the Enforcement Directorate to invoke the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) to find out who from the BJP gave Rs. 500 crores to Eknath Shinde and since it did not reach Manoj Jarange Patil, where did the money go? It is evident from the audio clip that senior members and the core team of BJP, DCM Eknath Shinde and his son Dr. Shrikant Shinde are involved in this massive scam.”

Manoj Jarange Patil has himself called for a high-level probe into the allegations. He appealed to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Shinde, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene in the matter. The activist alleged that a conspiracy is being hatched against him to defame and shut down the Maratha community's agitation. "Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis sahib and Shinde sahib should deploy a full SIT team and ensure they are not left alone; that is our request and demand to them. We want to urge Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji as well. Modi sahib needs to pay attention to this matter," he said.

He stated that he would not let this issue, involving Rs 500 crore, fizzle out, and that he would keep a close watch on the matter for about a month. He also appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take note of the situation. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianetnews Editorial staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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