In a major development in the loan fraud and money laundering case at the Punjab and Maharashtra Co-operative (PMC) Bank, Shiv Sena's senior leader Sanjay Raut's wife Varsha Raut has been summoned by the Enforcement Directorate for questioning, reports Economic Times.

It should be noted that this is not the first time that Raut has been summoned by ED. The apex investigation agency had earlier issued summons to Raut twice, on both of which occasions she had skipped citing health grounds.

The summons to Raut has been issued under the provisions of the stringent Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). However, Shiv Sena, which is a part of the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi establishment in Maharashtra has alleged that the central agency is targeting it unfairly.

It should be noted that the PMLA case in the case had been filed by ED in October last year against Housing Development Infrastructure Limited (HDIL), its former chairman Waryam Singh, its ex-managing director Joy Thomas, and promoters Rakesh Kumar Wadhawan and Sarang Wadhawan.

This was after ED had taken cognisance of a Mumbai Police Economic Offences Wing FIR against them for allegedly causing "wrongful loss, prima facie to the tune of Rs 4,355 crore to PMC Bank, and corresponding gains to themselves".