Sanjay Raut's bail hearing to continue on Oct 21 in money laundering case

A special court on Tuesday said it would continue hearing on October 21 into the bail plea of Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut, arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in an alleged money laundering case.

Special Judge M G Deshpande also extended Raut's judicial custody till October 21 after he was produced in the court at the end of his remand on Tuesday.

In the court, Raut met NCP leader Eknath Khadse, who had come there to mark his presence in connection with a money laundering case lodged against him by Enforcement Directorate (ED).

The two leaders spoke briefly during which Raut was heard telling Khadse he would be out of the prison soon.

The ED's probe against Raut pertains to alleged financial irregularities in the redevelopment of a Patra Chawl (row tenement) and related financial transactions involving the Sena leader's wife and associates.

On Tuesday, Raut's counsel Ashok Mundargi completed his rejoinder arguments during which he told the court that the allegations levelled against Raut by the ED were inherently unbelievable and cannot be relied upon.

Mundargi told the court that the alleged transactions are from years 2008 to 2012. It has been a decade and the allegation is of only Rs 3.85 crore, he said.

Additional Solicitor General Anil Singh, appearing for the ED, sought additional time to oppose certain fresh arguments made by Mundargi.

The court agreed and posted the plea for further hearing on October 21 and also extended Raut's judicial custody till then.

The ED arrested Raut in July this year on money laundering charges in connection with the Patra Chawl redevelopment project.

Siddharth Nagar, popularly known as Patra Chawl, in suburban Goregaon is spread over 47 acres and houses 672 tenant families.

In 2008, the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) assigned a redevelopment contract for the chawl to Guru Ashish Construction Private Limited (GACPL), a sister company of HDIL (Housing Development and Infrastructure Ltd).

The GACPL was supposed to build 672 flats for tenants and give some flats to the MHADA. It was free to sell the remaining land to private developers.

However, according to the ED, the tenants did not get a single flat in the last 14 years, as the company did not redevelop the Patra Chawl, but sold land parcels and floor space index (FSI) to other builders for Rs 1,034 crore.