PMC bank fraud case: Sanjay Raut's wife Varsha deposes before ED

Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha member and spokesperson Sanjay Rauts wife Varsha Raut on Monday deposed before the Enforcement Directorate ED in connection with its money laundering probe into the PMC bank fraud caseAccording to ED sources she arrived at the financial probe agency office here in the afternoonThe source said that she will questioned about the Rs 55 lakh interest free loan transferred to her in 2010 and 2011 by her business partner Madhuri Raut the wife of Pravin Raut who has been accused of money laundering in the HDIL caseThe source further said that she will also be questioned about her partnership with Madhuri Raut in Avani Construction and how did she receive Rs 12 lakh from the entity as overdrawn capital converted to loan on a contribution of Rs 5625According to ED officials the loan amount of Rs 12 lakh to Varsha Raut is still outstandingThis is the first time that Varsha Raut has appeared before the ED after being summoned twice by the agency in the caseThe ED has registered a case of money laundering on the basis of FIR registered by Mumbai Polices Economic Offences Wing against Housing Development Infrastructure Ltd HDIL its promoter Rakesh Kumar Wadhawan Sarang Wadhawan Waryam Singh the then Chairman and Managing Director of the bank Joy Thomas and others for causing loss to the tune of Rs 4355 crore to PMC Bank and corresponding gain to themselvesThe ED has attached properties worth Rs 72 crore on January 1 of Pravin Raut under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act PMLA as during investigation it was revealed that Rs 95 crore has been allegedly siphoned off through HDIL by him in active conspiracy and connivance with various personsThe ED officials on January 1 had said that the source of the funds was illegal availed loans or advances etc by HDIL from the PMC Bank There was no document or agreement in support of these payments made to Pravin RautThe official further said that as per the ledger of HDIL the funds were given to him for acquiring land in Palghar areaThe ED official had said it was also found that Raut paid an amount of Rs 16 crore to his wife from the proceeds of crimeMadhuri Raut had transferred Rs 55 lakh out of Rs 16 crore to Varsha in 2010 and 2011The amount was further utilised for purchase of a flat in Mumbais Dadar East the official saidThe notice to Varsha had sparked a huge political row in the state with the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi allies Shiv SenaNationalist Congress PartyCongress and opposition Bharatiya Janata Party trading verbal blowsSanjay Raut had also accused the BJP at Centre of misusing the central probe agencies like the ED the CBI the IT to harass and silence political opponentsThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever