Enforcement Directorate’s Mumbai office renamed as ‘state branch of BJP’

A group of Shiv Sena workers allegedly strung up a banner outside the Enforcement Directorate’s Mumbai office declaring it as the ‘state branch of BJP’ on Monday.

The banner that says "Bhajapa (BJP) Pradesh Karyalaya" was strung up soon after Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut's press conference in the afternoon where he claimed he has a ‘file’ on BJP which contains 121 names and he would soon give it to the Enforcement Directorate.

In a video shared by Raut, a Shiv Sena worker could be seen arguing with a Mumbai Police personnel after installing the banner, in which he asks the cop to go and report the matter to BMC, Mumbai’s civic body.

In his press conference, Raut warned the government headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi not to drag ‘children and women to the battlefield’. “Targeting women of a household is an act of cowardice. Do whatever you want. We are not scared of you,” he said, as per media reports.

Raut pointed out that Sharad Pawar, Eknath Khadse and Pratap Sarnaik had all received notices from the ED in the last one year, adding that they all were ‘crucial for government formation in Maharashtra.’

The ED has summoned Eknath Khadse, a former minister in the Devendra Fadnavis government of Maharashtra, in a PMLA case and asked to appear on 30 December.

As reported earlier today by National Herald, Raut told reporters that the ED action reflected "frustration" of the BJP against him, as he was instrumental in the formation of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government last year and didn't yield to the pressure to make it unstable.

"I have been doing regular correspondence with the Enforcement directorate (ED) for the last one-and-a-half months regarding a Rs 50 lakh loan taken by my wife ten years ago from a friend to purchase a house," the Rajya Sabha MP said.

He said all the details regarding this loan had already been submitted to the ED during the correspondence.

The ED summoned Varsha Raut for questioning in the PMC Bank money laundering case on December 29, officials had said on Sunday.

The officials had said that Varsha Raut has been asked to appear before the agency in Mumbai. This is the third summons issued to her after she skipped the earlier two on health grounds, they said.

Meanwhile, Aditya Thackeray, son of Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, was quoted by news agency PTI, “The ED move is politically motivated. We are not scared. The MVA (Maha Vikas Aghadi) government is stable.”