Patra Chawl Scam: Sanjay Raut's Wife Varsha Raut Appears Before ED

Varsha Raut, the wife of Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the Patra Chawl money laundering scam. Her husband was arrested by ED earlier this week after conducting a search at his residence and seizing 11.5 lakh rupees.

The Enforcement Directorate revealed that Varsha Raut’s summon was issued after transactions done on her account came to light. The ED earlier told the court that Sanjay Raut and his family received “proceeds of crime” worth more than one crore rupees due to the alleged irregularities in the housing redevelopment project.

Varsha Raut was named by the central probe agency several times and the properties linked to her have been traced to the Patra Chawl money laundering scam, with an amount of 83 lakhs transferred to her name.

Varsha Raut appears before ED: All about Patra chawl scam

The Patra Chawl scam dates back to 2007 when the Maharashtra Housing and Development Authority (MHADA) gave a contract to Guru Ashish construction company to redevelop the area.

Sanjay Raut’s close aide Pravin Raut is one of the directors of the construction company and is accused of collecting money from flat buyers and diverting it to other accounts, including that of Varsha Raut.

Raut, a teacher by profession was reportedly questioned regarding her connection with the Patra Chawl Development project undergoing in Maharashtra for over a decade. The ED alleges that a scam of over one crore rupees took place in the project and a major of the account can be traced to properties owned by Raut.

ED alleged that in 2010, a part of the proceeds of the alleged money laundering amounting to 83 lakh rupees was received by Raut. The amount was later used to purchase a flat in Dadar. Eight plots of land in Alibaug under her name, and the name of Sujit Patkar’s wife Swapna Patkar, a close associate of Sanjay Raut.

Suggested Reading: Who Is Varsha Raut? Shiv Sena Chief Sanjay Raut's Wife Involved In Land Scam