Former minister summoned in FERA case

NEW DELHI, February 5: Taking cognizance of a criminal complaint lodged against former Union Minister of State for Conventional Energy Krish...

NEW DELHI, February 5: Taking cognizance of a criminal complaint lodged against former Union Minister of State for Conventional Energy Krishan Kumar for his alleged involvement in a Foreign Exchange Regulation Act violation case and “willful non-appearance” before the Enforcement Directorate, the additional chief metropolitan magistrate (ACMM) of Patiala House has issued summons to him.

Asking the former minister, reportedly a staunch supporter of former prime minister PV Narasimha Rao, to appear before the court personally on the next date of hearing, ACMM Sangita Dhingra posted the matter for further hearing on February 13.

The court direction came in wake of a criminal complaint filed by Enforcement Officer CN Dhar through special public prosecutor GS Kanojia after exercising his power conferred upon him under Section 61(2)(ii)(b) of the FERA.

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During the last one year, the ED had issued 11 summons to him and asked him to appear before the Directorate and make his statement for his allegedinvolvement in a FERA violation case, but all were futile.

In its five-page complaint, the Directorate alleged that “the accused person failed to appear before the authorities concerned on one pretext or the other and deliberately avoided his appearance and mainly he has taken the plea of his illness on all the dates.”

“All the summons were served upon the accused through his wife or through himself but he did not appear before the investigating office since February 28 last year,” the complaint said. Out of 11 summons, seven were received by his wife, two summons were received by him, while two others were served through registered post.