ED Officer Transferred Amid High-Profile FEMA Investigation Involving Former Punjab CM
In a significant development surrounding an ongoing Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) investigation, the Enforcement Directorate has transferred Additional Director Ravi Tewari from its Jalandhar office to Chennai. This administrative move coincides with the agency issuing summons to former Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh and his son, Raninder Singh, regarding alleged undisclosed foreign assets.
Summons Issued Amid Medical and Political Complications
The Enforcement Directorate summoned the former chief minister to appear at their Jalandhar office on February 12, while his son was directed to appear on February 13. However, Captain Amarinder Singh could not comply with the summons as he was undergoing knee replacement surgery at a Mohali hospital. Similarly, Raninder Singh also failed to appear on his scheduled date. This marks the first time Amarinder Singh has been summoned in this investigation, though his son had previously appeared before the agency.
Political Controversy Surrounds Investigation Timing
The transfer and summons have unfolded against a backdrop of intense political drama. Congress Punjab affairs in-charge Bhupesh Baghel recently stated that the party remains open to Amarinder Singh's potential return, while the former CM's daughter, Jai Inder Kaur, asserted that her father would remain with the BJP. Congress MLA Pargat Singh has alleged that central agencies are being used to silence Amarinder Singh after he raised critical questions about his standing within the BJP and the party's perceived disregard for Punjab's interests.
However, official ED sources have clarified that Ravi Tewari's transfer is unrelated to the summons issued to the Singh family. The agency maintains this is a routine administrative decision.
Legal Background of the Foreign Assets Probe
The investigation gained significant momentum in September last year when the Punjab and Haryana High Court cleared the way for the Enforcement Directorate to examine documents held by the Income Tax department. These documents, originally obtained from French authorities under the Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement, were first used by the IT department to initiate proceedings back in 2016.
According to the Income Tax department's findings, Captain Amarinder Singh is alleged to have been the beneficiary of foreign bank accounts and assets connected to the Jacaranda Trust. Similar allegations have been made against his son, Raninder Singh, regarding undisclosed foreign holdings. The FEMA probe seeks to determine whether these alleged assets were properly declared and whether any foreign exchange regulations were violated.
The case continues to develop as political observers watch closely how this investigation intersects with Punjab's volatile political landscape and the ongoing realignment of political allegiances in the region.
