Former Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh’s son Raninder on Thursday failed to appear before the Enforcement Directorate in Punjab in connection with its probe against him for alleged foreign exchange violations and holding of untaxed foreign assets.
Official sources said Raninder has sought exemption from personal appearance citing health reasons to the agency's Investigating Officer (IO) of the case. He was summoned to appear before the ED at Jalandhar office.
Since he did not appear before the agency on Thursday, the IO will soon fix a new date for his questioning.
Raninder had been summoned to explain the alleged movement of funds to Switzerland and creation of a trust and 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 connection is currently pending in a Punjab court. The next hearing in this case is slated for July 26.
Raninder had earlier said he did not have anything to hide and was willing to cooperate in the matter.
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 in this regard by the Central Board of Direct Taxes from their French counterparts in 2011.
Sources said ED investigators have gathered necessary documents from a competent court in Punjab and the RBI, and they suspect "contravention of the Foreign Exchange Management Act" by the accused and hence require him to join the investigation.
Both Raninder and his father Amarinder Singh, a lok Sabha MP, have denied any wrongdoing and termed as "false" the charges.