Mumbai Court reserves verdict in Sanjay Raut bail plea; order likely on November 9

A Mumbai court on Wednesday reserved its verdict in the bail plea filed by Shiv Sena Member of Parliament Sanjay Raut in the money laundering case against him. .Special judge MG Deshpande also reserved verdict in the bail plea of Raut’s alleged aide Pravin Raut, who is a co-accused in the case.The money laundering case being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is in relation to the redevelopment of a chawl project in a northern suburb of Mumbai..The counsel for ED, Ashish Chawan, enquired with the judge if the decision for both applications will be pronounced together.The judge then clarified that since it was ED’s case that the money flowed from the aide’s account to Raut’s, it is important that he decide the aide’s bail plea first. “It is your case that percolation of money is from there. So unless Pravin's case is decided I cannot decide Sanjay Raut's bail,” the judge said. The judge then stated that he will try to pronounce the verdict on both pleas on November 9..Raut was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on July 31 in connection with the money laundering case.He was summoned for questioning in the re-development of Patra chawl and related transactions involving his wife and ‘associates’. He was arrested on July 31 and after spending 8 days in ED’s custody, Raut was remanded to judicial custody.He moved for bail on September 7 claiming that ED’s case against him was filed to crush the opposition faced by the ruling party. He also contended that the amount of ₹1.06 crore shown as proceeds of crime was accounted for and explained.The agency on the other hand, contended that the offence in the present case was for Raut’s private gain at the cost of public fund.The central agency also contended that Raut played a major role in the offence through his proxy and alleged aide Pravin Raut.