ED attaches assets of Sanjay Raut's alleged aide in Patra Chawl case

The Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday attached immovable properties worth Rs 73 crore belonging to Pravin Raut, an alleged associate of Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut, in connection with a money laundering case linked to purported irregularities in the redevelopment of Mumbai's Patra Chawl.

The 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.

The money laundering case stems from an FIR filed by the Mumbai Police Economic Offences Wing (EOW) against a company named Guru Ashish Construction Private Limited, 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 inked among the society, MHADA, and GACPL, whereby the developer (GACPL) was obligated to provide flats to 672 tenants, construct flats for MHADA, and then vend the remaining land area, the Enforcement Directorate said.

However, the directors of GACPL allegedly deceived MHADA and fraudulently sold the Floor Space Index (FSI) to nine developers collecting an amount of Rs 901.79 crore without constructing the rehabilitation portion for the displaced tenants and flats for MHADA.

The ED further alleged that a portion of the ill-gotten gains, amounting to Rs 95 crore, was diverted by Pravin Raut into his personal bank accounts.

Pravin Raut utilised some of these proceeds to purchase various land parcels directly from farmers or land aggregators in his name or under his firm, Prathmesh Developers, the probe agency claimed.

Moreover, it stated that a segment of the proceeds of the crime was stashed away by Pravin Raut with associated individuals, while certain properties acquired by him were subsequently gifted to his family members.

The probe agency had also filed a chargesheet in the case in March 2022.