SIT to probe allegations of extortion against ED officials

Announcement from Home Minister Dilip Walse-Patil comes hours before ED attached properties belonging to Sanjay Raut’s family members

The Maharashtra government on Tuesday announced the formation of a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the allegations levelled by Shiv Sena leader and Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut against Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials of blackmailing and extortion. 

The announcement from Home Minister Dilip Walse-Patil comes hours before the ED attached properties belonging to the family members of Mr. Raut, indicating the ‘war’ between the State and the Centre is set to escalate in the coming weeks. Last week, Mr Raut reportedly expressed unhappiness over alleged lack of action by the Mumbai police despite his complaints against ED officials.

“The SIT will work under Additional Police Commissioner Viresh Prabhu. It will have no time constraints. It will get as much time it wants to probe the allegations levelled by Sanjay Raut,” Mr. Walse-Patil said, adding that the manner in which properties were attached, without even giving notices, demonstrated the functioning of the Union government.

At a press conference last month, Mr. Raut presented papers claiming how ED officials, in association with a businessman, were involved in an extortion racket by blackmailing companies that were under probe by the agency. He had said that he will submit papers to the police. According to sources, on a day when the Economic Offences Wing begun primary investigation, the ED attached properties of Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray’s brother-in-law Shridhar Patankar.

The constituents of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) slammed the action and pointed to the recent comments on Central probe agencies by the Chief Justice of India. Slamming the BJP leader and former MP Kirit Somaiya over his “accurate” predictions of ED actions, NCP State president Jayant Patil questioned whether the Central agencies informed Mr. Somaiya before taking actions.

“These things will have no impact on the stability of the State government. Agencies are purely being used to create suspicion against the political parties in this government,” he stated.