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Uddhav faction MLA and ex-Minister Ravindra Waikar appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a money laundering case related to an under-construction luxury hotel in Jogeshwari on Monday.
After appearing before the central agency, the lawyers of Waiker called the allegations made against the Uddhav faction MLA "all bogus and baseless." Meanwhile, the Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA said that he cooperated in the ED's investigation and would come again if he was called again by the ED. "We have submitted the bank documents and other details. If complaints are made in this manner and permission is revoked after granting it, it is absolutely wrong," Waikar added while talking to the reporters. Waikar's lawyers Mohan Tekavde and Swati Tekavde who were with the MLA for nine hours during the questioning, said, "We answered all the questions of ED and provided them with all the details. We submitted them documents from the year 2001 pertaining to this matter. There are no proceeds of the crime linked to my client and no tainted money is involved. Allegations of Rs 500 crore scam made against Waikar is all bogus and baseless." Earlier, the Enforcement Directorate conducted raids at seven locations related to Waikar and his partners in a money laundering case related to the construction of a luxury hotel on Jogeshwari, the agency said. The case pertains to the construction of a star hotel at Jogeshwari by allegedly manipulating the land use conditions. The ED earlier in November registered a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) against Waikar in 'Rs 500 crore 5-Star Hotel Scam'. Waikar is accused of defrauding the BMC of Rs 500 crore by obtaining permission to build a five-star hotel on a plot reserved for a BMC playground. Waikar is a member of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, representing the Jogeshwari East Assembly Constituency. Waikar is a close aide of Maharashtra former CM and Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray. (ANI)
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