NCP slams BJP over ED's action against Shiv Sena's Sanjay Raut

The NCP on Tuesday accused the BJP of indulging in politics of vendetta and misusing Central probe agencies to muzzle the voices of MVA leaders in Maharashtra after the ED attached properties linked to Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut.

The ED has attached eight land parcels in Alibaug and a flat in Mumbai's Dadar suburb linked to Raut and his family under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, officials said on Tuesday.

Maharashtra NCP chief spokesperson Mahesh Tapase charged the BJP with targeting the Maha Vikas Aghadi leaders as the NDA constituent could not form a government in the state after the 2019 Assembly polls.

Tapase also raised questions over the timing of the Enforcement Directorate's action, saying it swung into action as soon as the Maharashtra government formed a special investigation team (SIT) to probe Raut's allegation of extortion against some of the probe agency's officials.

The Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress formed the MVA in late 2019 after the Sena broke away from long-time ally BJP over sharing of the chief ministerial tenure.

The BJP government at the Centre is misusing its probe agencies to muzzle voices of its political opponents. What is going on (in Maharashtra)? This is politics of vendetta that's going on in Maharashtra, Tapase said in a video statement.

He alleged that properties linked to Raut were attached since the Sena leader spoke on behalf of the ruling MVA in Maharashtra and against the BJP.

Raut had alleged in a press conference last month that some ED officers were acting as "an ATM" for the BJP.

He had also said the Mumbai Police was probing extortion charges against four officers of the central agency and some of them will go to jail. The Sena MP had not revealed any names while making the allegations.

The Maharashtra home minister has ordered a SIT probe into Raut's allegations. As soon as the probe was ordered, the ED attached his property and residence, Tapase said, adding that the BJP , through such moves, wants to defame the MVA government.