Senior Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader, Nitin Sardesai, on Thursday was questioned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the ongoing investigation in the case related to Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services Ltd. (IL&FS) loan to a realty firm, an official said. Sardesai was summoned by the ED to join the probe related to Kohinoor Square building. Earlier MNS Chief Raj Thackeray was quizzed in the same matter on August 22.

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ED's investigation

This is the first time that Nitin Sardesai has appeared before the agency for questioning after he was summoned. Sardesai arrived at the ED office in Ballard Pier, South Mumbai, at around 11.30 am and left at around 6 pm, the official said. The official went on to add further that Sardesai was questioned for several hours in connection with Kohinoor CTNL and the money trail of the loan disbursed by the now-bankrupt IL&FS to Kohinoor CTNL. The agency is investigating financial details into the shareholding pattern, profits, and investment into the controversial Kohinoor square project in Dadar.

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The ED is probing alleged irregularities relating to loan and equity investment worth over Rs 450 crore by IL&FS in Kohinoor CTNL. ED officials had prepared a questionnaire for him to get a fair idea of the financial transactions, an official had said. The case pertains to alleged irregularities in loan disbursal by Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services (IL&FS) to Kohinoor CTNL. Kohinoor CTNL has developed Kohinoor Square, a high-rise at Dadar in Central Mumbai. After recording his statement Nitin Sardesai was allowed to leave the ED office.

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Raj Thackeray summoned by ED

According to the official, Sardesai, a former MLA was one of the partners of Matoshree Realtors, which had invested Rs 4 crore in the project. Sardesai held a 10 per cent share in investments made by Matoshree Realtors. Earlier, Thackeray, Unmesh Joshi, son of the former chief minister and senior Shiv Sena leader, Manohar Joshi, and another MNS leader Rajan Shirodkar were questioned by the central agency in the same case. 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.

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(with PTI inputs)