• Patra Chawl redevelopment scam: ED attaches properties worth Rs 73.62 crore of Sanjay Raut’s close aide, others

    National
    Patra Chawl redevelopment scam: ED attaches properties worth Rs 73.62 crore of Sanjay Raut’s close aide, others


    The Enforcement Department additionally claimed that Pravin Raut transferred a portion of the illicit gains—roughly Rs 95 crore—into his personal bank accounts.

    Digital Desk: The Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday seized assets valued at Rs 73 crore that belonged to Pravin Raut, a suspected associate of Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut. The issue concerns money laundering and is connected to alleged irregularities in the reconstruction of Mumbai's Patra Chawl.

    Land parcels in and around Palghar, Dapoli, Raigad, and Thane that belonged to Pravin Raut and his close accomplices were taken by the investigation agency. Notably, in the same case in 2022, the Enforcement Directorate detained both Pravin and Sanjay Raut.

    The Mumbai Police Economic Offenses Wing (EOW) filed an against Guru Ashish Construction Private Limited, a firm Pravin Raut was a director of, which is the basis for the money laundering case. The firm was tasked with renovating the Patra chawl in the Goregaon neighborhood so that 672 inhabitants may be rehabilitated.

    According to the investigative agency, "significant financial misconduct" occurred during the renovation. 

    The Enforcement Directorate stated that a tripartite agreement was signed by the society, MHADA, and GACPL, requiring the developer (GACPL) to build apartments for MHADA, supply units to 672 tenants, and then sell the remaining land area.

    On the other hand, it is said that the directors of GACPL misled MHADA and fraudulently sold the Floor Space Index (FSI) to nine developers, making a total of Rs 901.79 crore without building the apartments and rehabilitation section for the displaced tenants.

    The Enforcement Department additionally claimed that Pravin Raut transferred a portion of the illicit gains—roughly Rs 95 crore—into his personal bank accounts.

     According to the investigation agency, Pravin Raut used some of these earnings to buy several land lots directly from farmers or land aggregators under his own name or through his company, Prathmesh Developers.

    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.