Shiv Sena (Shinde) MP Ravindra Waikar, along with his wife Manisha, business partners Aasoo Nehlanai, Raj Lalchandani, Prithpal Bindra, and architect Arun Dubey, were initially accused of criminal breach of trust, cheating, and criminal conspiracy in the Jogeshwari land case. The case stemmed from allegations that Waikar was involved in the unauthorized construction of a luxury hotel in Jogeshwari, allegedly breaching agreements with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
Recently, the Mumbai Police's Economic Offences Wing (EOW) filed a closure report in the case, bringing relief to Waikar and his associates. The closure came after the EOW determined that the BMC's complaint was based on incomplete information and misunderstandings.
The case had been originally registered following a complaint by BMC sub-engineer Santosh Mandavkar, and subsequently transferred from Azad Maidan police station to the EOW. BJP leader Kirit Somaiya had been instrumental in pushing for the investigation, alleging a scam amounting to Rs 500 crore, involving the misuse of land designated for a public park to build a five-star hotel, causing financial losses to the BMC.
In response to the closure report, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut criticized the EOW's decision, suggesting political motives and questioning the handling of the case vis-Ã -vis future actions by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Raut's statements hinted at suspicions of political pressure influencing legal actions against opponents.
The legal saga surrounding Waikar intensified with an Enforcement Directorate raid in October 2023, targeting multiple locations including Waikar’s residence and other implicated properties. This action was part of a separate investigation under the PMLA, indicating ongoing scrutiny despite the EOW's closure of the initial criminal case.
Waikar, formerly aligned with Uddhav Thackeray's faction within Shiv Sena, recently contested and won the Mumbai North West seat in the Lok Sabha elections, albeit with the narrowest margin in the country, defeating Sena UBT’s Amol Kirtikar by just 48 votes.
