Team Thackeray’s Sanjay Raut Released From Jail After Over 3 Months

Mumbai:

Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut was released from jail on Wednesday, hours after he was granted bail by a court in an alleged money laundering case filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) that was sharply rebuked for arresting the politician for “no reason”.

He emerged from the Arthur Road Jail in central Mumbai to a huge welcome from members of the Uddhav Thackeray faction of the Shiv Sena, waving a saffron scarf.

Mr Raut’s release was also cleared by the Bombay High Court, which refused to put the bail on hold as requested by the central agency tasked with probing financial crimes.

Stating that it cannot pass such an order without hearing both the parties, the high court listed the matter for hearing on Thursday.

“I have not even looked at the order. I don’t know on what grounds bail has been granted. I don’t know on what grounds you (the ED) have challenged the order. How can I grant a stay now without even hearing the parties,” High Court Justice Bharati Dangre said.

A special court earlier in the day granted bail to Mr Raut and co-accused Pravin Raut while rejecting the ED’s request to stay the effect of the order till Friday.

The ED arrested Sanjay Raut, a Rajya Sabha MP, on July 31 for his alleged role in financial irregularities in connection with the redevelopment of the Patra Chawl tenement in suburban Goregaon.