Shiv Sena MP Bhavana Gawali skips appearance before ED; cites illness

Mumbai, October 20

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Shiv Sena MP Bhavana Gawali on Wednesday skipped appearing before the Enforcement Directorate here for questioning in a money laundering case, saying she is unwell due to chikungunya infection.

The agency had issued summons to the 48-year-old MP for Wednesday during which her statement was supposed to be recorded.

Her lawyer told reporters that they had submitted a medical certificate to the investigating officer of the case that stated her illness and sought exemption from appearance for about a fortnight.

Gawali is a sitting Lok Sabha member from the Yavatmal-Washim constituency in Maharashtra.

She was first summoned by the agency to appear on October 4, but she sought adjournment and a new date citing work commitments.

The agency in September had arrested her aide Saeed Khan in the criminal case filed under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The ED, while taking the custody of Khan, claimed before a special PMLA court that Gawali criminally conspired to convert a trust into a private company through Khan by “forgery and fraud” for layering of funds worth around Rs 18 crore.

It is understood that the agency wants to question Gawali about her links with Khan and the trust identified as ‘Mahila Utkarsha Pratishthan’ and related transactions. PTI