In Mumbai all roads leading to ED office are barricaded

MUMBAI: Raj Thackeray, who will appear before the ED today and who had on Tuesday appealed to MNS workers not to gather at the ED office, issued a fresh appeal on Wednesday. “Even after my appeal on Tuesday, many people are thinking of reaching the ED office. If you really love me, you will not come to the ED office,” he stated. Police on Wednesday placed barricades on all roads leading to the ED office and may impose restrictions in the area today.
MNS leader Sandeep Deshpande said there was “nothing great” if Uddhav had said the inquiry would not come to anything. “Even an innocent child can get the idea that nothing will come out of the probe,” he said. ED officials questioned Unmesh Joshi, son of former Sena CM Manohar Joshi, for the third day on Wednesday. Rajan Shirodkar, former business partner of Raj, was also questioned for the second day.
Unmesh, Shirodkar and Raj had formed a company, Kohinoor CTNL, after raising 50% funds to purchase Kohinoor Mills No. 3 in Dadar for Rs421 crore over a decade ago. IL&FS had invested Rs225 crore and held 50% equity shares in the company that was constructing Dadar’s Kohinoor Square Towers. Raj and Shirodkar exited the company in 2008. Unmesh was with the company but lost control over it recently. The IL&FS group’s total investment in and loan to Kohinoor CTNL was Rs860 crore.
Unmesh and Shirodkar were questioned between 11am and 7pm on Wednesday. Shirodkar stated he was asked questions related to financial transactions of Kohinoor CTNL from 2005 to 2008. He stated he retired from the company in 2008. Asked about rate at which shares were sold, he refused to reply, sources said.