"Now clean chit is left to be given to Dawood," says Shiv Sena UBT leader Sanjay Raut

While addressing the issue of giving a clean chit to Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Waikar in a hotel redevelopment case, Shiv Sena (UBT) Leader Sanjay Raut remarked on Saturday that it seems even Dawood might receive a clean chit soon.

"What else can happen? Now the only one left to receive a clean chit is Dawood. Ravindra Waikar deserted Uddhav Thackeray to join the Shinde group out of fear of the ED," Raut stated.

Waikar, his wife, and four close associates were implicated in a case registered by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). The case involved the construction of a star hotel in Jogeshwari, located in Mumbai's western suburbs, allegedly involving manipulation of land use conditions.

The Mumbai Police's Economic Offences Wing (EOW) filed a closure report on this case after Waikar joined the Eknath Shinde-led faction in March and later won Mumbai's North West in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections.

Raut further said that wrong cases are being registered against their people and people have left out of fear, including Chief Minister Eknath Sindhe. He also demanded that if the complaint was filed based on incomplete information, then action should be taken against the head of EOW.

"Wrong cases are registered against our people and efforts are being made to put pressure on us and it is done. Some people are left out of fear. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde also went out of fear. BJP should admit that we filed a case against them to create fear. If the complaint is filed on 'incomplete information and misunderstanding' then my demand from Devendra Fadnavis is that action should be taken against the head of EOW," Raut said.

On a different subject, commenting on Lalu Yadav's statement about the NDA government potentially failing by August, Sanjay Raut expressed agreement and emphasized that a significant political shift is occurring under Rahul Gandhi's leadership.

"Lalu Yadav is absolutely right; this government will not last. I am seriously observing that this government will not last. We have already said that this government will not last. The storm that is happening today under Rahul Gandhi's leadership is causing a major event in the country. Even though Mr. Naidu and Nitish Kumar's party seem clear-minded, Modi ji, despite having a majority, is now relying on two crutches. I have full faith that whatever Lalu Ji has said is right; this government will not last," Raut asserted.

Addressing Rahul Gandhi's visit to the families of the Hathras stampede victims, Sanjay Raut questioned when Prime Minister Narendra Modi would make a similar visit.

"Where there is pain and crisis, BJP leaders, including the Prime Minister and Home Minister, will never go. Rahul Gandhi and all of us go because we understand the pain and suffering. When will they go? The Prime Minister will never go at the time of such incidents," he remarked.

Regarding the large crowds that welcomed the Indian team, Sanjay Raut commented, "If just 10 per cent of that crowd had taken to the streets, problems like inflation and unemployment would have been addressed, putting pressure on the government. But where is this crowd during times of crisis? Where is it sitting? We do not know. If this crowd takes to the streets against dictatorship, democracy will survive, and dictatorship will completely end."