Sanjay Raut in BIG TROUBLE, FIR registered against Shiv Sena MP for intimidating woman witness

New Delhi: The Mumbai police on Sunday (July 31, 2022) registered a First Information Report (FIR) against Sanjay Raut after a woman witness in a money laundering case being probed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) alleged that she was threatened by Shiv Sena MP. FIR against Sanjay Raut was registered on the charge of insulting the modesty of a woman at Vakola police station by the witness, Swapna Patkar. 

The witness approached the police after she received a rape and murder threat in a typed paper, which was inserted in a newspaper delivered to her on July 15, the officials informed. An audio clip also recently surfaced in which a male voice can be heard threatening a woman using foul language went viral.

The officials informed that on Saturday, a non-cognisable (NC) case was registered under section 507 (Criminal intimidation by an anonymous communication) of the Indian Penal Code, which was converted into an FIR on Sunday. 

Police have invoked sections 504 (insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), 506 (Punishment for criminal intimidation), and 509 (intending to insult the modesty of a woman) of the IPC against Raut.

The witness of the money laundering case also registered her statement with the police on Sunday, the official said, adding that she was provided security as requested by her.

Earlier on Sunday, Raut was arrested after hours-long raids by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money-laundering case related to the redevelopment of Mumbai's Patra Chawl and related transactions involving his wife and others. Sanjay Raut’s brother Sunil Raut claimed that his brother was arrested by ED in the late hours of Sunday. Claiming Raut’s arrest, his brother Sunil said that he will be produced before the court on Monday.

“Sanjay Raut has been arrested. The BJP is afraid of him and got him arrested. They haven’t given us any documents (regarding his arrest). He has been framed. He will be produced in court tomorrow at 11.30 am,” claimed Sunil Raut on Sunday.

During the hours-long raid, ED officials seized Rs 11.50 lakhs unaccounted cash from the residence of Raut earlier in the day.