The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday conducted a raid at the residence of Shiv Sena leader and Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) Pratap Sarnaik.

The senior leader from Shiv Sena is the MLA from the Ovala-Majiwada Vidhan Sabha constituency in Thane. The 56-year-old is also Shiv Sena's Maharashtra Spokesperson and the Communication Leader for Mira-Bhayandar area.

The searches are being conducted by the central agency at 10 locations linked to Shiv Sena leader in Thane and Mumbai under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

"The searches are being conducted on the Tops group (a company in the business of providing security) promoters and related people, including some politicians," an official source was quoted by news agency PTI.

Sena Chief Spokesperson Sanjay Raut attacked the Centre for using raids as a political weapon to against opponents.
"We all know that the ED and CBI are being misused� They are puppets in the hands of the Centre. But, we will not bow down before anybody," Raut declared. He reiterated that the MVA government is stable and will complete its full remaining term of four years. Simultaneously, he warned that even the Shiv Sena has files about all the murky dealings of BJP leaders.

NCP senior leader and Food & Civil Supplies Minister Chhagan Bhujbal said that the BJP uses central agencies to harass those who are critical of them.

"First they targetted (NCP President) Sharad Pawar with a notice last year, and then many other Opposition party leaders in Rajasthan, Maharashtra or other states... This is sheer vendetta politics. But they will never succeed in their intentions," Bhujbal said.

(With inputs from IANS)