Patra Chawl case: The Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday attached immovable properties worth Rs 73.62 crore of Pravin Raut, an alleged "close associate" of Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut, and some others in connection with its money laundering case linked to purported irregularities in the redevelopment of Mumbai's Patra Chawl.
The central probe agency seized the land parcels belonging to Pravin Raut and his close associates located in and around Palghar, Dapoli, Raigad and Thane. Notably, both Pravin and Sanjay Raut were arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in 2022 in the same case and they are currently out on bail.
Company was involved in significant financial misconduct
The money laundering case stems from an FIR filed by the Mumbai Police Economic Offences Wing (EOW) against a company named Guru Ashish Construction Pvt Ltd (GACPL), of which Pravin Raut was a director. The company was given the work to redevelop the Patra chawl in the Goregaon area for the rehabilitation of 672 tenants. The probe agency has alleged that there had been significant financial misconduct while doing this redevelopment.
"A tripartite agreement was signed between the society, Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) and GACPL wherein the developer (GACPL) was supposed to provide flats to 672 tenants, develop flats for MHADA, and thereafter sell the remaining land area. However, the directors of GACPL misled MHADA and managed to sell the floor space index (FSI) fraudulently to nine developers, collecting an amount of Rs 901.79 crore without constructing the rehabilitation portion for the 672 displaced tenants and flats for the MHADA," the ED said.
Rs 95 crore diverted to personal bank accounts
The ED investigation further revealed that a part of the proceeds of the crime, amounting to Rs 95 Crore, was diverted by Pravin Raut to his personal bank accounts. Part of the proceeds were utilized for the acquisition of various land parcels directly from farmers or land aggregators in his (Pravin Raut's) own name or in the name of his firm Prathmesh Developers, it said.
"Also, part of the proceeds of the crime was parked by him with associated persons or entities. Further, some properties acquired by Pravin Raut were later gifted by him to his family members. Such identified proceeds of crime in the form of land parcels acquired from farmers, gifted properties to family members and equivalent properties of siphoned-off PoC to Pravin Raut and associates, have been attached in this PAO, amounting to Rs 73.62 Crore,' the agency said.
Earlier in this case, assets worth Rs 11.15 Crore belonging to Pravin Raut and Sanjay Raut, were attached by ED which are found to be a part of the said proceeds of the crime of Rs 95 crore received by Pravin Raut. Further, assets amounting to Rs 31.50 Crore of Rakesh Kumar Wadhawan and Sarang Wadhawan, in the form of properties situated at Goa were also attached by this office. Hence, ED has attached immovable properties amounting to Rs 116.27 Crore in this case so far.
Two charge sheets have also been filed by the ED in the case till now. Further investigation is under progress.
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