Top MNS leaders arrested as Raj Thackeray grilled by ED for over 8 hours

Shiv Kumar
Tribune News Service
Mumbai, August 22

Several top leaders of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena were on Thursday arrested or prevented from leaving their homes in different parts of Mumbai as its leader Raj Thackeray was questioned at the Enforcement Directorate.

Thackeray left the Enforcement Directorate after being questioned for eight-and-half hours. He left for home in a convoy accompanied by his relatives who were at the Grand Hotel next door.

Thackeray is under investigation for loans availed by his former company Kohinoor CTNL from the troubled IL&FS group which he had jointly floated with Unmesh Joshi, son of former Maharashtra Chief Minister Manohar Joshi.

Accompanied by various relatives, including wife Sharmila, daughter Urvashi, son Amit and daughter-in-law Mitali and several office-bearers, Thackeray arrived at the ED office at Ballard Estate in South Mumbai. While Thackeray’s relatives stayed put at the Grand Hotel nearby, the MNS leader entered the offices of the ED. 

Just as Thackeray was due to enter the ED offices, several members of the MNS appeared in the vicinity sporting slogans like ‘EDiot Hitler’ on their T-shirts. The crowd was dispersed by police after Section 144 prohibiting the assembly of four or more persons were enforced in the area.

Maharashtra’s major opposition parties like the Congress, Nationalist Congress Party and the Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana have come out in support of Thackeray and accused the ED of of political vendetta.

Earlier today, MNS spokesman Sandeep Deshpande and others were picked up and detained at the Shivaji Park police station amidst indications that party workers may create a ruckus outside the offices of the ED.

The party said later in the evening that thousands of workers were in Mumbai in support of Thackeray.