Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Mahua Moitra has decided to skip the Enforcement Directorate (ED) summons directing her to appear for questioning in connection with the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) contravention case on March 28.
Moitra, the TMC candidate from the Krishnanagar Lok Sabha seat, told reporters that she would be campaigning in her constituency on Thursday, thereby skipping the ED summons.
The 49-year-old former MP had previously been summoned twice by the central agency for questioning but she had abstained, citing official obligations.
On Wednesday, the probe agency issued fresh summons to Moitra and Dubai-based businessman Darshan Hiranandani, instructing them to appear before authorities on Thursday.
Moitra is accused of soliciting cash and gifts from Hiranandani in exchange for posing questions in Parliament aimed at attacking industrialist Gautam Adani and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, among others. In December, she was expelled from the Lok Sabha following an investigation into the matter prompted by a complaint filed by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey.
According to sources, the investigative agency is scrutinising transactions associated with a non-resident external (NRE) account, as well as several other foreign remittances and fund transfers.
Moitra, however, has vehemently denied any wrongdoing, asserting that she is being targeted for raising questions regarding deals involving the Adani Group.
Furthermore, the Trinamool leader is under investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the cash-for-query case. In a recent chargesheet, the CBI named Moitra and Hiranandani, charging them with criminal conspiracy, offenses related to bribing public servants, and abetment.
Following the directions of the anti-corruption ombudsman Lokpal, the CBI conducted raids at her premises in West Bengal on Saturday. In response, Moitra penned a letter to the Election Commission, alleging that the CBI is “harassing” her and “throttling her election campaign efforts.”