Mumbai: Swapna Patkar, one of the prime witnesses in the Patra Chawl redevelopment case in which Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut has been arrested believes “justice comes, a little late but it surely comes.” Patkar, who has lodged several complaints since 2013 against unknown people for stalking and harassment, has alleged that Raut was behind it.
“I was attacked thrice, first in May 2013, when I had registered a case against unknown persons at Mahim police station. The second FIR was filed in June 2013 at Vakola police station after an attack on me and the third was registered in 2018 at Vakola police station after which a man was arrested for stalking me,” she said.
Patkar said that Raut’s arrest by the ED cannot be called justice. “I will get justice when the police will take cognisance of my complaints and prosecute him in that matter. I have been jobless due to the fake cases registered against me under the influence and pressure of Raut. MVA government was very hostile. The police tried closing all the cases registered by me, but the courts asked them to re-investigate them as there were several loopholes in the investigations,” says Patkar, who was arrested by the Bandra police for allegedly possessing fake PhD.
“I have complained several times against Raut, but no cases were registered. Instead, I was framed in a fake case. I have lost credibility and am jobless as the court directed me not to practice and nobody is ready to hire me considering the high-profile case,” says Patkar, who worked as a psychologist before.
The Vakola police recently registered a case against Raut based on Patkar’s complaint, which stated that the Shiv Sena leader had abused her. Patkar had earlier written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying she has received a threat letter stating she will be raped, murdered and disposed of in Thane creek if she gives details to the ED against Raut.
“I stopped working with Saamana as Raut wanted me to stay as his puppet. After an argument, I left the work and have written several times to Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray but never got any reply,” said Patkar, who was a columnist for the paper from 2009 to 2014.
On Raut’s arrest, Patkar said, “The trouble that Raut has landed in today is due to his own Karma. He has done wrong so he has to face (the consequences). I was called by several agencies and have been providing them whatever information I have, I don’t know much about the case.”
Raut has denied all allegations levelled against him by Patkar and told the Bombay high court (HC) that the petitioner was like a daughter to him. He further added that the allegations were levelled against him because she thought that he was siding with her husband Sujit Patkar in their matrimonial dispute. As per ED, Sujit Patkar is a close confidant of Raut.