ED summons Mahua, businessman Hiranandani today in FEMA case; desparate move ahead of polls, says TMC

 The  Enforcement Directorate has issued fresh summons to TMC leader Mahua Moitra and businessman Darshan Hiranandani for questioning in a Foreign Exchange Management Act(FEMA) contravention case on March 28, official sources said.

PTI, Kolkata, Mar 27, 2024 : The  Enforcement Directorate has issued fresh summons to TMC leader Mahua Moitra and businessman Darshan Hiranandani for questioning in a Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) contravention case on March 28, official sources said Wednesday. 

The 49-year-old Trinamool Congress leader was called for questioning earlier also by the Central agency. Moitra, who was expelled from the LokSabha in December for "unethical conduct", has been renominated by her party from West Bengal's Krishnanagar seat in the upcoming LokSabha polls. \

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had raided her premises in connection with the cash-for-query case on Saturday, days after anti-corruption ombudsman Lokpal directed the federal agency to investigate the allegations levelled against her by BJPMP Nishikant Dubey. Dubey, a LokSabha member, has alleged that Moitra asked questions in the House in exchange for cash and gifts from Dubai-based Hiranandani to mount an attack on industrialist Gautam Adani and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, among others.

Transactions linked to a non-resident external (NRE) account are under the ED's scanner apart from a few other foreign remittances and fund transfers, the sources said. Moitra has denied any wrongdoing and claims that she is being targeted as she raised questions on the deals of the Adani Group.

Hitting out at the BJP-led government at the Centre, the TMC on Wednesday said the ED summons to Moitra was part of "vendetta politics" and a desperate manoeuvre to "misuse" agencies ahead of the elections. 

"This is nothing but vendetta politics against Mahua Moitra. The BJP doesn't have any issue to fight the TMC and is misusing Central agencies ahead of the elections," TMC spokesperson Krishanu Mitra said. He claimed that sensing growing discontent among the people, the BJP was using every means at its disposal to change the narrative.

 

 "She was not allowed to present her case before the parliamentary panel and then she was expelled. Now, the CBI raids and ED summons. This won't yield any results for the BJP," Mitra added. State BJP leader Rahul Sinha alleged the TMC was mired in corruption. "Whenever the ED or CBI raid or summon TMC leaders, they claim that the actions are politically motivated. 

The reality is that the TMC is deeply mired in corruption. Whatever Moitra has done is a shame for parliamentary democracy," he said Hitting out at the BJP-led government at the Centre, the TMC on Wednesday said the ED summons to party's Krishnanagar candidate Mahua Moitra was part of "vendetta politics" and a desperate manoeuvre to "misuse" agencies ahead of the elections.

    

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) issued fresh summons to Moitra and Dubai-based businessman Darshan Hiranandani for questioning in a Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) contravention case on March 28, official sources said.

"This is nothing but vendetta politics against Mahua Moitra. The BJP doesn't have any issue to fight the TMC and is misusing central agencies ahead of the elections," TMC spokesperson Krishanu Mitra said.

He claimed that sensing growing discontent among the people, the BJP was using every means at its disposal to change the narrative.

"She was not allowed to present her case before the parliamentary panel and then she was expelled. Now, the CBI raids and ED summons. This won't yield any results for the BJP," Mitra added.

State BJP leader Rahul Sinha alleged the TMC was mired in corruption.

"Whenever the ED or CBI raid or summon TMC leaders, they claim that the actions are politically motivated. The reality is that the TMC is deeply mired in corruption. Whatever Moitra has done is a shame for parliamentary democracy," he said.

The 49-year-old Trinamool Congress leader was called for questioning twice earlier by the central agency but she did not depose citing official work and sought deferment of the notice.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had raided her premises in connection with the cash-for-query case on Saturday, days after anti-corruption ombudsman Lokpal directed the federal agency to investigate the allegations levelled against her by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey.