The Enforcement Directorate late on Sunday night arrested Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut in a money-laundering case. The raids were carried out after the top Shiv Sena leader and Rajya Sabha MP’s no-show as the central probe agency issued summons.

According to various news reports, the ED will be producing Raut in a special PMLA (Prevention of Money Laundering Act) court on Monday.

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The top Sena leader has reportedly been arrested in connection with the money laundering case related to the redevelopment of Mumbai’s Patra Chawl and related transactions involving his wife and others.

On his arrest, Raut’s brother and Shiv Sena MLA Sunil Raut said, “The BJP was trying to scare Sanjay Raut, and will continue (to do that) with Uddhav Thackeray. The arrest is being made to silence Sanjay Raut. Now everyone in Maharashtra will raise the voice against this injustice”.

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“The amount found in the house – Rs. 10 lakhs – is of Eknath Shinde (the Maharashtra chief minister). It was a party fund for the Ayodhya trip. ‘Ayodhya tour’ is written on the envelope,'” Sunil Raut outside the ED office.

Sanjay Raut was taken to the Enforcement Directorate on Sunday evening. The raids at his Mumbai home started earlier in the morning, and continued for about nine hours.

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A defiant Sanjay Raut said he won’t quit Team Uddhav Thackeray, adding that “false evidence was being produced against him in a false case”.

Before entering the Enforcement Directorate office on Sunday, Mr Raut told reporters the central anti-financial crime agency’s action was aimed at trying to weaken the Shiv Sena and that a “false” case was prepared against him.

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In April, the Enforcement Directorate attached assets worth over Rs 11.15 crore of Raut’s wife Varsha Raut and two of his associates. The properties include a flat in Dadar held by Varsha Raut and eight plots at Kihim beach in Alibaug jointly held by Varsha Raut and Swapna Patkar, the wife of Sujit Patkar, a “close associate” of Sanjay Raut.