Shiv Sena and BJP continue to spar over Rana

Sena says the late Yusuf Lakdawala, from whom the arrested MP borrowed ₹80 lakh, had links to Dawood

Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Wednesday questioned the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on whether the Central agency would probe arrested Lok Sabha Member of Parliament Navneet Rana, who has disclosed that she availed a ₹80 lakh loan from Yusuf Lakdawala, who has been arrested by the ED in a money laundering case and for his connections with gangster Dawood Ibrahim.

“Navneet Rana availed loan of ₹80 lakh from Yusuf Lakdawala who died in jail recently. The same Lakdawala was arrested by the ED in a ₹200 crore money laundering case and had links with the D-gang [Dawood Ibrahim gang]. Has the ED investigated the matter? This is the question on national security,” Mr. Raut said. He shared the election affidavit filed by Ms. Rana with the Election Commission of India (EC), which mentions the loan from Lakdawala.

Mr. Raut said that Lakdawala’s illegal money stands deposited with Ms. Rana. “Will the ED ask the Ranas for a cup of tea? Who is protecting the D-gang? Why is the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) silent?” he asked.

BJP leader Mohit Kamboj claimed that Mr. Raut was playing with the name Lakdawala. “The gangster is Ejaz Lakdawala while Yusuf [Lakdawala] was a builder close to the Congress, NCP (Nationalist Congress Party) and the Shiv Sena,” Mr. Kamboj said. He shared photographs of Yusuf Lakdawala with NCP chief Sharad Pawar at a public function, and also with late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi at a function.

“Raut himself was a friend of Lakdawala and [they] used to party at Mahabaleshwar together,” claimed the BJP leader, adding that the Shiv Sena was trying to defame Ms. Rana.