Former Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh's son, Raninder Singh, on Thursday failed to appear before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) yet again he was summoned by the ED in connection with a probe against him for alleged forex contraventions and holding of untaxed foreign assets.
Official sources said that Raninder has informed the Investigating Officer (IO) in the case that he is busy with the preparations of Rio Olympics and therefore he could not appear before the ED's zonal office in Jalandhar.
Raninder is the president of the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) and an Indian squad is participating in the forthcoming Olympic Games. Sources said that the agency is considering asking him to appear before it on a fresh date.
This was for the second time that ED has summoned Raninder after he had sought exemption from personal appearance last month, citing health reasons.
Raninder has been summoned by the agency to explain the alleged movement of funds to Switzerland and creation of a trust and a few subsidiaries in the tax haven of British Virgin Islands.
The alleged violations had earlier been investigated by the Income Tax department and a case in this regard was being heard in a court in Punjab. The next hearing in the case is slated for July 26.
Raninder had earlier said that he did not have anything to hide and was willing to cooperate with the probe. The case came to light when the Income Tax department received information about Raninder allegedly holding the offshore account in the alpine nation as part of details received by the Central Board of Direct Taxes from its French counterparts in 2011.
The sources said that ED investigators have gathered necessary documents from a competent court in Punjab and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), and they suspect “contravention of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA)” by the accused. Both Raninder and his father Caot Amarinder have denied any wrongdoing and termed as "false" the charges.