Forced attempt to involve me in toppling MVA govt: Sanjay Raut

Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut has alleged that ever since the Sena parted ways with the Bharatiya Janata Party BJP his party leaders their families and friends were being systematically targeted by using law enforcing agencies such as the Enforcement Directorate ED against themHe added that he was offered a role in toppling the Maha Vikas Aghadi MVA government but since he rejected the offer he was told that he some cabinet ministers and leaders would have to pay a heavy price by spending many years behind bars like a former union ministerRaut has said this in a letter written to the Rajya Sabha chairman and Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Tuesday He shared the letter on social media and addressed media persons on Wednesday morning ldquoThis letter is just the information My next step will be holding a press conference at Shiv Sena Bhavan and later I will address another press conference in front of the ED office Watch what happens nextrdquo he saidChallenge to FadnavisRaut said BJP leaders were dictating terms to ED officers picking up MVA leaders their families and friends for inquiries He said he knows which BJP leaders visit the ED office to brief the officers ldquoI challenge the leader of the opposition Devendra Fadnavis Every day a person goes to the ED office A person speaks every day like a drunkard If we enter their homes they will find it difficult to travel to Nagpur The Shiv Sena is Mumbairsquos dada bossrdquo he addedRaut said the ED questioned a florist and decorator who provided services during his daughterrsquos wedding ldquoThe florist was asked how much he was paid in cash He told them that he didnrsquot charge anything because he was a family friend but they were threatened at a gunpointrdquoHe said he and other leaders would happily go to jail if the BJP wished but they would ensure that their detractors were also put up in the cell next to the MVA leadersrsquo He said in the letter that he is not scared and he would not bow down ldquoI will continue to speak the truth both in the House and outside it However for the government to use agencies like the ED to harass my family members friends relatives and even those not concerned with me speaks of a decay in our political systemrdquo he further saidVulture no threat to lion FadnavisReacting to Rautrsquos statement Fadnavis said in Goa that Raut should stop playing the victim card ldquoMain unko yehi kehna chahata hun sher kabhi kabhi gidhado ki dhamakiyonse dara nahi karte the lion never gets scared of a vulturersquos threat He entertains us every morning with his statements He is an editor and he knows which statements make good headlinesrdquoFadnavis said Raut should approach the courts if he had any grievances ldquoThe Modi government doesnrsquot victimise anyone Raut should stop playing the victim cardrdquoBJP leader Kirit Somaiya who has been pursuing the allegations against Raut and other MVA leaders alleged at a media conference that a company linked with the Raut familyrsquos business partner was rejected by the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority for its COVID19 care centre but was given the contract by the Mumbai civic body to run a centre in Worli He said the Raut familyrsquos other business partner was already behind bars and being interrogated ldquoI want to assure Sanjay Raut and CM Uddhav Thackeray that all these cases will be probedrdquo he said