Mahua Moitra likely to skip ED summons today in FEMA case: Reports

Trinamool Congress leader Mahua Moitra is likely to skip summons issued by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) today in relation to a foreign exchange violation case.

The ED summoned Moitra and Dubai-based businessman Darshan Hiranandani for questioning in the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) contravention case, after the TMC leader skipped summons twice before. The 49-year-old did not depose citing official work and sought deferment of the notice on both occasions.

Moitra, who was expelled from the Lok Sabha in December for "unethical conduct", has been renominated by her party from West Bengal's Krishnanagar seat in the upcoming Lok Sabha 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 BJP MP Nishikant Dubey.

Dubey, a Lok Sabha member, has alleged that Moitra asked questions in the House in exchange for cash and gifts from 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 about deals of the Adani Group.

(With inputs from PTI)