Trinamool Congress leader and former Lok Sabha MP Mahua Moitra has been issued fresh summons by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for questioning in a FEMA contravention case. The 49-year-old politician had previously requested a few weeks' time to join the investigation and had communicated her inability to depose before the agency last month.
Moitra asked to appear before ED on March 11
However, she has now been directed to appear at the ED office in Delhi on March 11. The federal probe agency is looking to question Moitra and record her statement under the provisions of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) once she deposes.
Transactions linked to a Non-Resident External (NRE) account are under the scanner of the agency in this case apart from a few other foreign remittances and transfers of funds, the sources said.
CBI probe against Moitra
Moitra is being probed by the CBI too. It is conducting a preliminary inquiry into the allegations against Moitra, who was expelled a few months ago, on the reference from the Lokpal.
BJP MP Nishikant Dubey had accused Moitra of asking questions in Lok Sabha to target the Adani group and Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the behest of businessman Darshan Hiranandani in exchange for gifts. He had also accused Moitra of compromising national security for monetary gains. In December, Moitra was expelled from the Lok Sabha over the issue.
Moitra quashes charges against her
However, Moitra has denied any wrongdoing and claimed she was being targeted as she had raised questions on the deals of the Adani group. "Neither has Lok Pal uploaded any referral order on the website as per the Lokpal Act & nor has CBI put out anything official. 'Sources' telling journos as per usual media circus. Hope Rs 13,000 crore Adani coal scam merits CBI PE before my witchhunt," Moitra had said on X in November.
It should be noted here that Moitra had also approached the Supreme Court challenging her expulsion from the lower house of Parliament in connection with the 'cash-for-query' allegations.
(With inputs from agencies)
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