Niranjan Hiranandani, co-founder and managing director of Mumbai-based real estate developer Hiranandani Group, has sought one week more time on health grounds from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to appear before it for questioning in a foreign exchange violation case, sources said.
Niranjan Hiranandani has said that doctors have advised him for at least a week’s rest as he suffers from a hearth-related issue and is being treated for the same. Meanwhile, his son Darshan Hiranandani has sought time till March 4 to appear before the probing agency.
Apart from this, clarifying on reports that both Niranjan Hiranandani and his son, were issued a summon by the ED for February 26, they said, “no summons were received for February 26 by any member of the Hiranandani group. All details were provided to ED and further details shall be provided (if required). We will continue to cooperate fully. The group remains confident that this 15-year-old matter poses no FEMA violations by the group whatsoever.”
On rumours that Niranjan Hiranandani or Darshan are citizens of Cyprus, they clarified, “neither of them have ever been citizens of any country except India and remain Indian citizens as well. Any suggestion made otherwise is false and malicious.”
Darshan Hiranandani has been living in Dubai for the last many years.
About four premises of the Hiranandani Group in and around Mumbai were searched by the ED last week under the provisions of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA).
Apart from some foreign transactions, the agency is said to be probing the beneficiaries of a British Virgin Islands (BVI)-based trust allegedly linked to the Hiranandani Group promoters. The group has said it will cooperate with the ED in this FEMA investigation.
Official sources said the ED probe is not linked to another FEMA investigation being conducted against TMC leader Mahua Moitra, who was expelled as a Lok Sabha MP in December last year.
BJP MP Nishikant Dubey had accused Moitra of asking questions in the Lok Sabha to target the Adani Group and Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the behest of Darshan Hiranandani in exchange for gifts. Dubey had also accused Moitra of compromising national security for monetary gains.
Moitra has denied any wrongdoing and claimed she was being targeted as she had raised questions on deals of the Adani Group.
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