Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut has claimed that independent parliamentarian Navneet Rana received a loan of Rs 80 lakh from film financier and builder Yusuf Lakdawala, who was arrested in a money laundering case by the Enforcement Directorate, and sought a probe into it by the central agency.
Lakdawala died at the Arthur Road jail here in September last year.
Talking to reporters on Wednesday, Raut also wondered whether there was an "underworld connection" to the political row over recitation of Hanuman Chalisa, just like the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts.
He claimed the BJP was trying to save Navneet Rana, who was arrested by the Mumbai police on Saturday along with her MLA husband Ravi Rana, after the couple gave a call to recite the Hanuman Chalisa (hymns dedicated to Lord Hanuman) outside Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray's private home 'Matoshree' in Bandra area here.
The Ranas eventually dropped their plan, but were arrested by the police and booked under various sections of the IPC, including those related to sedition and promoting enmity between different groups.
"Navneet Rana recvd a LOAN of ?80 lacs frm Yusuf Lakdawala who died in Jail rcntly. The same Lakdawala ws arrestd by @dir_ed in a money laundrng case & hs links wth D gang. My questn is- Has ED investigatd ths mattr? Ths is a questn of nationl security!" Raut tweeted late Tuesday night, while tagging his post to the Prime Minister's Office and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis.
On Wednesday, Raut in another tweet said, "Underworld connection. Lakdawala was arrested by the ED in a Rs 200 crore money laundering case and died in the lock-up. Yusuf's illegal money is now in Rana's account. When will ED serve tea to Rana? Why is the D-Gang being saved? Why is the BJP quiet?"
On Tuesday night, Raut had tweeted a photo, purportedly of a financial statement of Navneet Rana, who is an actress-turned-politician, of a loan of Rs 80 lakh taken from Lakdawala.