Enforcement Directorate sent summons to promoters of Hiranandani Group in FEMA case, asked to appear tomorrow

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) summoned Hiranandani Group promoters Niranjan Hiranandani and his son Darshan Hiranandani on February 26 for questioning in the forex violation case. Official sources gave this information on Sunday.

He said Hiranandani has been asked to appear before the ED office in Mumbai. However, he can also choose to give his reply through one of his representatives. Darshan Hiranandani has been living in Dubai for the last several years.

The agency had last week searched four premises of Hiranandani Group in and around Mumbai under the provisions of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA). It is being told that apart from some foreign transactions, the agency is also investigating the beneficiaries of a trust based in the British Virgin Islands (BVI).

Hiranandani Group said it will cooperate with ED in the investigation under FEMA. Official sources said the ED investigation is not linked to another FEMA probe being conducted against Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Mahua Moitra. Moitra was expelled from the Lok Sabha in December last year.

BJP MP Nishikant Dubey had alleged that Moitra asked questions in the Lok Sabha at the behest of Darshan Hiranandani. He had alleged that Moitra was targeting the Adani Group and Prime Minister Narendra Modi with questions in exchange for gifts. The BJP MP had also accused Moitra of compromising national security for money.

However, Moitra denied any wrongdoing and claimed that she was being targeted because she had raised questions about Adani Group deals.