ED arrests Sena MLA Pratap Sarnaik's aide Yogesh Deshmukh in money laundering case

Months after seizing 112 plots in the National Spot Exchange Limited (NSEL) scam, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested Shiv Sena MLA Pratap Sarnaik's aide Yogesh Deshmukh in the probe. The scam involves money laundering to the tune of Rs 5600 crores which had come to the fore after the Aastha Group had defaulted on payments of the investors. In January, the ED had attached 112 plots located in Thane belonging to the Shiv Sena MLA's firm Vihang Group. 

In December last year, BJP's Kirit Somaiya had launched an offensive against Pratap Sarnaik and his associates. The BJP leader had alleged that the plots in Thane, despite being attached by the ED, were reportedly sold by the Sarnaiks. Levelling grave accusations against the Sena MLA, Somaiya had alleged that an associate of the Astha Group and Pratap Sarnaik had diverted Rs 100 crores from NSEL to purchase the plots.

Pratap Sarnaik has been facing ED heat in connection to another money-laundering case pertaining to private security firm TOPS group. The Shiv Sena MLA and his son Vihang have been summoned multiple times by the central agency and grilled for hours for the alleged connections with private security firm TOPS group. The ED had also arrested Sarnaik's close associate Amit Chandole in the matter. 

ED conducts raids at Sarnaik's premises

On November 25, the ED carried out searches at the offices and residential premises associated with Pratap Sarnaik and TOPS group. 10 locations in Mumbai and Thane were raided, with the agency seizing electronic evidence including a computer. Subsequently, Sarnaik's son Vihang was taken to the ED office in Mumbai and interrogated for nearly five hours, regarding alleged transactions from foreign locations and the money trail.