Money laundering probe: Arrested Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut sent to ED custody till August 4

The ED had asked for an eight-day custody after producing Mr. Raut in the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court. But the special court granted the ED only three days.He was arrested by the ED in a money laundering case related to the redevelopment of a chawl in Mumbai shortly after July 31 midnight after the agency conducted a search at his residence.Refuting suggestions that BJP national president J. P. Nadda, at a political event in Bihar, had spoken of the Shiv Sena being finished in Maharashtra, Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis clarified that Mr. Nadda was referring to the Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena and not Eknath Shinde’s group.On Sanjay Raut’s arrest by the ED, Mr. Fadnavis said, “An agency only conducts a probe on the basis of proof.”Slamming the BJP over the arrest of Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut, party chief Uddhav Thackeray said he is proud of him as he did not succumb to any pressure.Talking to reporters in Mumbai, Mr. Uddhav Thackeray termed Mr. Raut as a hardcore Shiv Sainik of Sena founder late Bal Thackeray.“I am proud of Sanjay Raut. What crime has he committed? He is a journalist, a Shiv Sainik, is fearless and speaks what he does not approve of,” Mr. Uddhav Thackeray said.The former Maharashtra Chief Minister targeted the BJP for what he called vendetta politics. Former Maharashtra Minister Aaditya Thackeray said, “This is political conspiracy to finish off the Shiv Sena and suppress Maharashtra’s voice.” Mr. Aaditya Thackeray is on a tour of Sindhudurg in the Konkan region.“He [Raut] runs a party and a paper [Sena mouthpiece Saamana]. So, the ED retrieving that sum of ₹10-11 lakh is no big deal. It clearly tantamounts to harassment of Mr. Raut... He is not a person who runs away from any investigation. The affair is a ploy on BJP’s part to finish-off the Opposition. The BJP wants an Opposition-free Parliament.” said Senior Congressman and Rajya Sabha MP Mallikarjun Kharge on the ED retrieving cash from the Sena MP’s house