India News | Won't Be Silenced by ED Raid, Ready to Face 'hanging': Sarnaik
Get latest articles and stories on India at LatestLY. Shiv Sena MLA Pratap Sarnaik, whose properties were raided by the ED, on Tuesday said he cannot be silenced by such actions and asserted he is ready to face "hanging" for Mumbai and Maharashtra.
Mumbai, Nov 24 (PTI) Shiv Sena MLA Pratap Sarnaik, whose properties were raided by the ED, on Tuesday said he cannot be silenced by such actions and asserted he is ready to face "hanging" for Mumbai and Maharashtra.
Sarnaik said an Enforcement Directorate (ED) team conducted probe at his office and home and took in possession documents.
Earlier in the day, the central agency conducted raids at premises linked to the Shiv Sena MLA, a resident of adjoining Thane district, in Maharashtra in connection with a money-laundering case.
The MLA said he has been in construction and hotel businesses for the past 30-odd years and paying income tax regularly.
My staff and my son gave information to the ED people. But still they were not satisfied.
"When they will summon me, it definitely is my responsibility to answer each of their question being a public representative, Sarnaik told a Marathi news channel.
A Shiv Sena spokesperson in Maharashtra, Sarnaik had in September this year moved a breach of privilege motion in Assembly against Republic TV editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami for allegedly using derogatory language against Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, who also heads the lead MVA constituent.
He had sought reopening of the 2018 Anvay Naik suicide case and also been critical of Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut after she likened Mumbai to Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK).
If someone defames the Mumbai police, compares Maharashtra to PoK, Pratap Sarnaik will speak about it. Pratap Sarnaiks mouth cannot be shut because of the ED raid.
"Will you hang me? I am ready to face hanging for Mumbai, Maharashtra and the country, he said.
Sarnaik said the day separate breach of privilege motions were moved in the assembly against Goswami and Ranaut, he had inkling about what will happen to him tomorrow.
The legislator said the opposition BJP needs to give up the idea of troubling leaders of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) constituents -- Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress -- in the name of Operation Lotus.
I am not levelling allegations just because Pratap Sarnaik has been troubled. If you (the BJP) play revenge politics today, put in jail two of our people, then tomorrow 20 of yours will go to jail, he added.
The Shiv Sena earlier in the day termed the EDs action as political vendetta and said it stands with Sarnaik.
(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)