E-Paper
FEMA case: Raninder skips ED summons, Capt seeks exemption on health grounds
The federal agency had directed Raninder to appear before it on Thursday, while Captain Amarinder Singh was summoned to appear on Friday in the same matter
Raninder Singh, son of former Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh, on Thursday skipped summons issued by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a 2016 case alleging violations of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA).
The federal agency had directed Raninder to appear before it on Thursday, while Captain Amarinder Singh was summoned to appear on Friday in the same matter. However, the former chief minister is unlikely to attend as he is currently admitted to a private hospital in Mohali for knee replacement surgery.
An ED official said Raninder has sought exemption citing the health condition of his father and to take care of him. “Even Captain Amarinder has sought adjournment of hearing, mentioning his knee surgery at a Mohali-based hospital,” the official said.
People close to the former CM said Raninder remained at the hospital with his father for most of Thursday. The agency has not yet issued fresh summons.
In a post on X on Wednesday, Raninder said he would cooperate with the investigation. “As law-abiding citizens, we will cooperate fully with every investigation agency. We have absolute faith in the rule of law and are confident that truth and justice will prevail,” he wrote.
The case dates back to November 2016, when the income tax department filed a complaint before the Ludhiana chief judicial magistrate against Captain Amarinder Singh and Raninder Singh. The complaint alleged tax evasion by concealing foreign assets and holding undisclosed offshore entities and bank accounts, including accounts with HSBC Private Bank in Geneva, Switzerland. The department also sought details of Raninder’s alleged association with the Jacaranda Trust.
The complaint was filed under Section 277 of the Income Tax Act, 1961, along with relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code relating to false information and perjury. Under FEMA, Indian citizens are prohibited from holding foreign assets or bank accounts without prior approval from the Reserve Bank of India.
In 2020, Raninder had appeared before the ED in the same case after missing two earlier summonses.
The latest summons has drawn political reactions, with some opposition leaders questioning its timing in a nearly 12-year-old case. Congress MLA Pargat Singh alleged that central agencies were being used for political pressure, particularly following Captain Amarinder’s recent remarks regarding the BJP and its understanding of Punjab.
The ED’s action follows a recent order by the Punjab and Haryana high court allowing the agency to inspect records maintained by the income tax department in the matter.
