The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has summoned executives of some leading iron ore mining companies of Odisha for questioning at its regional headquarters in Kolkata. These companies were referred to the ED by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing black money in the country, revealed an official in the agency on Tuesday.
The companies referred to the ED by the SIT include a major one, which has exported a huge quantity of iron ore in the recent past. Vice-Chairman of the SIT on black money and former Supreme Court Judge Arijit Pasayat, who is here, has sought production data on mineral extraction over the last ten years from the State Mines Department and corresponding information from the departments of Income Tax and Excise. Pasayat has also reportedly sought information from the Paradip Port on iron ore exports through it.
As critics of Prime Minister Narendra Modi have been confronting him time and again on the issue of bringing back black money as promised in his election speeches, the SIT’s move is being watched with keen interest. The ED had last month sent notices to 16 iron ore miners in Goa seeking information on their shareholding patterns, balancesheets, bank account details and information for the period 2006-2012.
The ED is the specialised financial investigation agency under the Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance, Government of India, which enforces Foreign Exchange Management Act,1999 (FEMA) and Prevention of Money laundering Act, 2002 (PMlA).ent.