Sharad Pawar meets PM Modi in Parliament

New Delhi: The meeting comes in the backdrop of action by Enforcement Directorate (ED) against leaders of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in Maharashtra especially some leaders of NCP and Shiv Sena in money laundering cases.

The Enforcement Directorate had on Tuesday provisionally attached assets worth Rs 11.15 crore of three people, including Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut's wife Varsha Raut, in a case related to irregularities in a chawl redevelopment project at Mumbai's Goregaon. The assets of Varsha and the two others -- businessman Pravin Raut, and Swapna Patkar, wife of the MP's close associate Sujit Patkar -- have been attached under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray had last month targeted the BJP-led government over the role of probe agencies in the state including the Enforcement Directorate's action in a case linked to his relatives and dared it to put him behind the bars. He also referred to Mahabharta, saying while he is no Krishna, "can you (BJP) say you are not Kans".

The ED had attached properties of nearly Rs 6.45 crore during raids at his brother-in-law Shridhar Patankar's premises. Thackeray had also referred to state Minister Nawab Malik, who has been arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a money laundering case and asked if the NCP leader was in the wrong, what were the agencies doing for so long.