The Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday detained Shiv Sena MLA Pratap Sarnaik’s son Vihang Sarnaik from his residence in Maharashtra’s Thane, after conducting raids at the legislators residence and office in connection with an alleged money-laundering case, ANI reported.

Pratap Sarnaik, who represents Sena from the Ovala-Majiwada constituency in the state Assembly, is the chairman of Vihang Group Of Companies that has invested in real estate development in Thane, according to the Hindustan Times. The investigation agency’s officials told the newspaper that premises linked to Sarnaik’s sons, Purvesh and Vihang, have also been searched.

Significantly, Pratap Sarnaik had moved a breach of privilege motion against Republic TV editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami and also sought reopening of investigation into the suicide of interior designer Anvay Naik, who left a note accusing Goswami and two others of not clearing his dues, according to The Indian Express.

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena has accused that the raids were an attempt to pressurise the party and called it a “political vendetta”, according to PTI. “If anybody thinks they can use central agencies and form a government they are mistaken,” Sena spokesperson Sanjay Raut said. “The Enforcement Directorate should not behave as a branch of the Bharatiya Janata Party...If you have begun today, we know how to end it.”

Another Shiv Sena spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi accused the Centre of misusing central agencies to “silence opponents”.