NAGPUR, Maharashtra — Many MNS workers were detained and the Enforcement Directorate office in Mumbai was turned into a fortress by the police as Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray appeared before ED for questioning in connection with financial transactions related to Matoshree construction, a company of which Thackeray was once a co-owner.
Thakeray reached the ED office at around 11.30 am along with his wife Sharmila, son Amit, daughter Urvashi and some of his close aides, however, only Thakeray was allowed to enter inside the ED office.
The ED’s summons is related to a case pertaining to alleged irregularities related to IL&FS group’s loan and equity investment in a company called Kohinoor CTNL, which was set up by Unmesh Joshi, the son of senior Shiv Sena leader and former Maharashtra chief minister Manohar Joshi.
The Case Against Him
The Indian Expressreported that in 2005, Unmesh Joshi, along with IL&FS and Raj Thackeray-owned Matoshree Construction, jointly bid for the NTC’s Kohinoor Mill, buying the 4.8-acre property for Rs 421 crore.
At the time, Thackeray was still part of the Shiv Sena. He broke away in 2006 and formed the MNS.
Thackeray exited Matoshree Construction in 2008.
The ED grilled Unmesh Joshi for around 8 hours on Monday.
Crackdown On Supporters
Mumbai police detained many MNS leaders including Thackeray’s close aide Sandeep Deshpande and MNS’s Thane district chief Avinash Jadhav early this morning to prevent any untoward incident in the city.
The police action against the MNS supporters came despite Thackeray repeatedly requesting his supporters not to protest or observe bandh.
“Our leader had instructed us to maintain calm today and we are trying to follow his orders. But if anything wrong happens with our leader then we won’t sit silently. This government will have to pay a heavy price for any such misadventure,” Jadhav told reporter when he was being detained by the policemen from Navapada police station.
The timing of ED summons to Thackeray has already raised many eyebrowsas it came at a time when he had united the entire Opposition in Maharashtra for a protest against EVM.
Congress and NCP have openly backed Thackeray and termed the ED notice to him as “politics of revenge” by BJP.
However, BJP’s alliance partner and Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, who is also a cousin of Raj, has said that nothing would come of ED inquiry against him.
Uddhav’s comments are being seen as an extension of support to his cousin.
Maharashtra finance minister and senior BJP leader from the state Sudhir Manguntiwar, however, denied the allegations that ED notice to Raj had anything to do with politics.
“Elections are always going on in our country, so there is no question of timing. It is about information. When the ED gets information, they act,” Manguntiwar said.