ED arrests two officials of Viva Group after raids at the company owned by MLA Hitendra Thakur

The Enforcement Directorate has arrested two top officials following raids on the premises of a firm promoted by a Maharashtra MLA for alleged ‘illegal diversion of bank funds’ in the Rs 4,300-crore PMC Bank fraud and money laundering case, official sources said on Saturday.

The agency on Friday (January 22) conducted raids at six locations in the office premises residents of Directors of the Viva Group which is owned by Bahujan Vikas Aghadi president Hitendra Thakur in Vasari-Virar and Andheri, Huju and Chembur areas of Mumbai in connection with the PMC Bank scam.

Mehul Thakur, managing director of the Viva Group, and Gopal Chaturvedi, a chartered accountant, were arrested under sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) after the raids.

Rs 73 lakh case, incriminating digital and documentary evidence were recovered during the operation.

The ED had earlier questioned Varsha Raut, the wife of Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut, in the PMC case for alleged transfer of Rs 55 lakh suspect funds as ‘interest-free loan’ into her account by Madhuri Raut, the wife of Pravin Raut, another accused in the case.

Reportedly, the Thakur family has financial ties with Pravin Raut, accused in the PMC Bank scam. Pravin Raut is a former director of Guru Ashish Construction Company, a subsidiary of HDIL, an accused company in the case.