Mumbai: A special PMLA Court on Wednasday granted bail to Shiv Sena leader & MP Sanjay Raut in a money laundering case linked to a housing project in Mumbai.He was in jail for 100 days and celebrated his Dussehra and Diwali in Arthur road jail only.
Special PMLA court judge MG Deshpande deliver its order after arguments of Defence and prosecution was concluded on November 2 and the order was reserved till today.The judge also granted bail to Pravin Raut, a co-accused in the same case and directed both of them to furnish bail bound of Rs two lakh each.
Meanwhile, the Court also turned down the request by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for a stay on the order for one week so as to enable the ED to file an appeal against the judgment.
Additional Solicitor General Anil Singh while arguing the ED plea submitted that “We need time to read the order, it is not an unreasonable request. Its the court's order, it has the powers to say that give effect to the order on a later date. I must get some chance, some opportunity by the court." Singh sought till Friday.The court however rejected it.
Raut was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on July 31 in the case.His one bail plea was erlier rejected by the PMLA court on the grounds that case needs time to agenciess to investigate the matter.In his recent bail plea he denied all the charges levelled against him.
Before his arrest under the PML Act, the Rajya Sabha MP had skipped the agency's summons twice.Raut is expected to be released in the late evening from jail.Reacting to court verdict Sandip Raut, Sanjay Raut's brother said that these are tears of joy. Our Diwali begins today. Satyamev Jayate! We were 100% confident that (he will be released), he had done nothing wrong. All of this was done deliberately.(UNI)