In a dawn swoop, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Income Tax Department raided the Kolhapur home and some other locations linked to senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Hasan Mushrif and his aides in Kolhapur and Pune for alleged corruption and money-laundering cases, on Wednesday.
The raids in the two cities came after Bharatiya Janata Party former MP Kirit Somaiya made allegations of financial irregularities, corruption and money-laundering of hundreds of crores pertaining to deals through defunct companies, a sugar mill, besides amassing huge properties, against the former Maha Vikas Aghadi government minister.
Teams of around two dozen ED-ITD sleuths swarmed at Mushrif's home in Kagal town of Kolhapur around 6 a.m., and other places connected with the NCP leader, amid tight security and after the operation confiscated certain documents and other evidence.
On the radar of the probe agencies for some time, Mushrif has vehemently denied Somaiya's accusations and said people of a 'particular community are being targetted'.
"The countdown for Mushrif has begun... Why does Hasan-Miya remember his religion now? After this, there are many other leaders who will face the consequences," warned Somaiya, naming Congress former Minister from Mumbai Aslam Shaikh.
He cited several instances of alleged money deals involving Mushrif, his associates, and others through shell or bogus companies, how the funds were reportedly routed for other illegal deals worth hundreds of crores of rupees.
Somaiya's allegations include Mushrif grabbing control of the Appasaheb Nalawade Gadhinglaj Cooperative Sugar Mill Ltd., payoffs and money-laundering of huge amounts through murky transactions benefitting him, his family or associates.
A large number of NCP activists gathered outside Mushrif's home and staged angry protests, raised slogans against the BJP, the government and the probe agencies, and gave calls for 'Kolhapur shutdown' Wednesday.
After Anil Deshmukh and Nawab Malik, Mushrif is the third senior NCP, besides Shiv Sena (UT)'s MP Sanjay Raut, to be targeted by various probe agencies in the past couple of years.
Two drowned in Pune bridge collapse, PM Modi speaks to CM Fadnavis
At least two people were killed, 32 others injured, while a total of 41 people were rescued after they fell into an overflowing river when an old bridge they were crossing collapsed in Maharashtra's Pune district on Sunday.
Haifa port in Israel operating normally despite Iran attack
There has been no damage to Israel’s Haifa port in the Iranian ballistic missile attack on an oil refinery nearby and cargo operations are progressing unhindered, according to media reports.
No recommendation, no discrimination: HM Amit Shah hails UP’s inclusive recruitment drive
In a historic ceremony, Home Minister Amit Shah and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath distributed appointment letters to 60,244 newly selected police personnel at the Defence Expo Ground in Sector 18, Vrindavan. Out of these 60,000 recruits, more than 12,000 comprised women.
Round-the-clock DNA profiling underway: FSL Gandhinagar Director explains complex process
The Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, has been operating around the clock to identify victims of the Ahmedabad plane crash through DNA profiling and matching.
Civil Aviation Ministry issues strict instructions to DGCA to enforce chopper safety
In the wake of a tragic helicopter crash in the Gaurikund area of Uttarakhand, the Ministry of Civil Aviation on Sunday issued strict instructions to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to enforce all safety protocols related to chopper operations in hilly and sensitive areas like the Kedarnath valley.
‘Harming Indians will invite punishment’, HM Shah on Op Sindoor
Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Sunday that through the anti-terror Operation Sindoor, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has sent a strong message across the world that the bloodshed of Indians will invite punishment.
Dassault CEO trashes Pakistan's claims on downing Rafale jets
Dassault Aviation Chairman and CEO Eric Trappier has dismissed as "factually incorrect" Pakistan’s claims about having shot down three Rafale fighter jets of the Indian Air Force during Operation Sindoor.
Tripura BJP stages protest over vandalism at Tagore's ancestral home in B'desh
Ruling BJP in Tripura on Saturday staged state-wide protests along the Bangladesh border, protesting the recent attack and vandalism of the ancestral home of Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore in the neighbouring country.