The Enforcement Directorate (ED) today swooped on Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut just a day before the Supreme Court hearing on MLA’s disqualification issues.

As part of the investigations into the Patra Chawl land scam case, a team of probe agency along with a posse of police and Central security agency landed at Raut’s Bhandup residence early in the morning

Taking to the microblogging site Twitter, Sanjay Raut tweeted: “Shiv Sena zindabad. Will keep fighting”, even as scores of his supporters staged a sit-in protest outside his home.

The ED has in the past recorded the statements of Raut and his wife Varsha Raut.

Earlier, the ED had attached properties worth Rs 9 crore linked to Raut’s aide Pravin Raut besides assets valued at around Rs 2 crore, belonging to his wife Varsha.

The stormy petrel of Shiv Sena, Raut (60), is a four-time MP and Shiv Sena’s Parliamentary Party leader, faces a case that has been registered against him under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act vis-a-vis the Rs 1,034 crore land scam.

Sena Mumbai South MP Arvind Sawant termed the ED action as “an act of vengeance done with a political motive”.

He also said that Raut and his wife had appeared before the ED and their statements were recorded.

Congress Chief Spokesperson Atul Londhe slammed the raids and said that now all the Central agencies have become “political tools” of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party to harass politicians and opponents.

Nationalist Congress Party’s Leader of Opposition Ajit Pawar declined to comment saying that he has not got the full details of the ED action against Raut.

BJP’ Kirit Somaiya, Ram Kadam, and Chief Minister Eknath Shinde Group MLAs welcomed the ED action on the Sena leader.

(With inputs from agencies)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the 91st edition of his monthly radio programme ‘Mann Ki Baat’ on Sunday at 11 am.

“I invite you all to tune-in to this month’s #MannKiBaat tomorrow, 31st July at 11 AM. Also sharing a booklet covering the interesting topics from last month such as India’s strides in space, glory on the sports field, Rath Yatra and more,” PM Modi tweeted on Saturday. Earlier this month, the Prime Minister invited people to share their ideas and suggestions for the episode which will take place today.

People could share their ideas on MyGov and Namo App, or could also record their messages by dialling the number 1800-11-7800.

“Do you have inputs for this month’s #MannKiBaat, which will take place on the 31st? I look forward to hearing them… share them either on MyGov or the NaMo App. Record your message by dialling 1800-11-7800,” PM Modi had tweeted.

In the 90th edition of his monthly ‘Mann ki Baat’, Prime Minister remembered the dark chapter in India’s history- the Emergency, which was imposed in 1975 and said that it was our democratic mindset that eventually prevailed.

He also applauded all those who resisted that period and said that even after the Emergency people did not lose faith in democracy.

The Prime Minister further said that during the Emergency the citizens were deprived of all rights, including the Right to Life and Personal Liberty is given by Article 21 of the Constitution.

PM Modi said that the country’s courts, every Constitutional institution, the press everything was brought under control and Censorship was so stringent that nothing could be published without approval.

New Delhi, Jul 31: India’s COVID-19 case rally rose by 19,673 in a day to reach 4,40,19,811 while active cases reached 1,43,676, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Sunday.
The death toll has climbed to 5,26,357 with 39 more fatalities, the data updated at 8 am stated.
Active caseload increased by 292 in a day and comprise 0.33 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate was 98.48 per cent, the ministry said.
The number of people who have recuperated from the viral disease surged to 4,33,49,778 while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.20 per cent.
The daily positivity rate was 4.96 per cent and the weekly positivity rate was recorded at 4.88 per cent.
According to the Union Health Ministry, 204.25 crore doses of Covid vaccine have been administered in the country so far.
India’s COVID-19 case tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 2020, 30 lakh on August 23, 40 lakh on September 5 and 50 lakh on September 16. It went past 60 lakh on September 28, 70 lakh on October 11, crossed 80 lakh on October 29, 90 lakh on November 20 and surpassed the one-crore mark on December 19. India crossed the grim milestone of two crore on May 4 last year, three crore on June 23 and four crore on January 25 this year.
The 39 new fatalities include seven in West Bengal, four in Maharashtra, three in Delhi, two each from Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh and one each in Assam, Goa, Karnataka, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura and Uttarakhand. (AGENCIES)