Sanjay Raut's wife summoned by ED; Priyanka Gandhi voices support

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday expressed support for Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut, saying he and his family are being targeted because he is not afraid of the BJP's "deceitful politics" and fights the ruling party resolutely.

New Delhi:Amid ED action against Sena MP Sanjay Raut, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday expressed support for him, saying he and his family are being targeted because he is not afraid of the BJP's "deceitful politics" and fights the ruling party resolutely.

Gandhi's remarks came after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) summoned Varsha Raut, wife of arrested Sena MP Sanjay Raut, for questioning in a money laundering investigation linked to alleged irregularities in the redevelopment of a local 'chawl' and linked transactions. Varsha Raut is expected to be confronted with her husband and some other accused involved in the case once she deposes before the central agency at its office in Ballard Estate later this week. Sanjay Raut was arrested by the ED in this case on August 1, and a local court on Thursday sent him to further custody till August 8.

In a tweet in Hindi, Priyanka Gandhi said, "The only goal of the BJP is to grab power by threats and deceit, and trample upon democracy." Sanjay Raut and his family are being targeted because he is not afraid of the "deceitful politics" of the BJP and fights them resolutely, she said. "Fear and intimidation are weapons of the cowards, they will not stand up to the might of the truth," Priyanka Gandhi added.

The ED had earlier told the court that Sanjay Raut and his family received "proceeds of crime" worth over Rs 1 crore generated out of alleged irregularities in the housing redevelopment project. The 60-year-old Rajya Sabha member is a close aide of Shiv Sena president and former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray. He had denied any wrongdoing and had called the ED case against him "false".

In April, the ED had provisionally attached assets worth over Rs 11.15 crore of Varsha Raut and two of associates of Sanjay Raut as part of its probe.