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Wednesday night saw the release of Sanjay Raut and his friend Pravin Raut from Arthur Road jail after a special PMLA (Prevention of Money Laundering Act) court granted them bail and the Bombay High Court declined to block their release.

During the redevelopment of the Patra Chawl in Goregaon East, Raut and his close buddy Pravin Raut, a former director of Guruashish Construction Private Limited, were detained on suspicion of financial irregularities.

On Wednesday, MG Deshpande, a special judge in the PMLA court, ruled that neither any proceeds of crime (POC) had been established as required by the 2002 Prevention of Money Laundering Act, nor was there any predicate offence that would have allowed the ED to file an ECIR. The court continued, "Prima facie there is absolutely nothing to establish that whatever (money) Sanjay Raut (A5) received is POC." According to the court, Shiv Sena leader was detained for no reason, whereas Pravin Raut's arrest was at most a civil matter. The court continued by declaring their arrest unlawful.