New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has summoned MNS party chief Raj Thackeray in connection with its money laundering probe in the IL&FS alleged payment default case, officials said today.
They said the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief has been asked to appear before the investigating officer of the case on 22 August.
They added that Unmesh Joshi, son of former State chief minister and Shiv Sena leader Manohar Joshi, has also been summoned in the same case. Joshi is supposed to appear on Monday or Tuesday, they said.
The agency is probing Thackeray’s involvement in the case in connection with the IL&FS group’s loan equity investment in a company called Kohinoor CTNL. The company was promoted by Joshi. Thackeray and Joshi had jointly bid for some assets after creating a consortium but later the MNS supremo quit.
The ED, it is understood, wants to look into the entire transaction and hence has summoned the two. The ED had last week filed a charge sheet in the case too.
PARTY REACTS
Meanwhile the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) today dubbed as ‘political vendetta’ the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) notice to party chief Raj Thackeray.
Reacting to it, MNS spokesperson Sandeep Deshpande said, “Raj Thackeray created a sensation during the Lok Sabha poll campaign earlier this year. It had a significant impact on people and to avoid a similar challenge ahead of the Maharashtra Assembly elections, the ED has issued the notice.”
“It is a case of political vendetta,” he alleged while talking to reporters here.
“The Kohinoor deal is very old and Thackeray exited it long time back. I wonder why the Centre has come up with the inquiry notice so late,” Deshpande said.
He alleged that the ED has ‘become a tool to suppress our voice’.
“If the government takes any action with prejudice against Raj Thackeray, we will protest on streets,” he added.