ED Summons Mahua Moitra, Darshan Hiranandani on March 28 in FEMA Violation Case

Former Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra, who was expelled by Parliament’s ethics committee for sharing her login credentials and password with an unauthorised person amid “cash-for-query” allegations, has been summoned by the Enforcement Directorate for a second time in connection with a FEMA violation case. Businessman Darshan Hiranandani has also been called by the agency. The TMC leader has been accused of taking Rs 2 crore in cash, as well as “luxury gift items”, from Hiranandani to ask questions critical of the government in Parliament.

Both Moitra and Hiranandani have been told to appear before the investigators of the directorate on Thursday, sources in the ED told News18.

According to senior officers in the directorate, a senior advocate from Kolkata has also been summoned by the ED in connection with the case. The agency has recorded statements of another senior advocate of the Supreme Court, who raised certain allegations against Moitra.

Rubbishing the charges, Moitra has repeatedly said that the summonses and raids were “nothing but political vendetta”. Responding to the first summons by the ED, she stated that the action was “illegal” and that she did not commit any FEMA violation. The ED has summoned her yet again in connection with the same case.

“Anyone who receives a summons has to appear before the ED. The apex court has ruled and that is the law. The accused person cannot judge a summon’s veracity or legality and call it illegal. If someone has a problem with a summons, that person has to file a petition before the court seeking redressal. But until that happens, anyone who has been summoned has to appear before the ED,” said a senior officer of the directorate.

Moitra is now entangled in two different cases, including one of Foreign Exchange Management Act violations, for which she has been summoned. In addition, the Central Bureau of Investigation has lodged an FIR against her in connection with the “cash-for-query” allegations and initiated a probe. Moitra’s residence was also searched by the central agency last week in connection with the case.

Moitra has been re-nominated by her party TMC from the Krishnanagar seat in West Bengal’s Nadia district for the Lok Sabha elections beginning next month.