Respect all summons, V-P tells RS ED QUIZZES AMBANI FOR 9 HRS; SUBHASH CALLED AGAIN
In a suo motu statement, Rajya Sabha Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu on Thursday told members of the Upper House that they should not avoid appearing before an investigative agency, if called, citing House duty.
Rajya Sabha member and Essel group promoter Subhash Chandra recently did not appear before the Enforcement Directorate stating that he was occupied with the ongoing Parliament session, among other reasons.
Mr Chandra was summoned by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with a moneylaundering probe against Yes Bank promoter Rana Kapoor and others.
Without naming any member, Mr Venkaiah said members of the Upper House should not avoid appearing before law enforcement agencies when summoned as it was their duty to respect the law and legal provisions.
He made these remarks at the end of Zero Hour at noon.
“As lawmakers it is our bounden duty to respect the law and legal procedures. It applies to all in all cases because you can only inform the House is in session, give me further date, but you cannot avoid the law enforcement agencies’ summons or notices. This has to be taken note of by all,” Naidu said and added that he was only stating provisions of law and rules.
As some members tried to thank the Chairman for the statement, Naidu said “why do you thank me…this is the position.”
Reliance Group chairman Anil Ambani on Thursday appeared before the Mumbai office of the ED and questioned for about nine hours in connection with a money-laundering probe against Yes Bank promoter Rana Kapoor and others, officials said. The industrialist was called again for a similar round of grilling on March 30.
Ambani arrived at the ED office at the Ballard Estate at around 9.30 am on Thursday. It is believed that his statement was recorded under the relevant provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering
Act (PMLA).
Ambani’s nine group companies are stated to have taken loans of about `12,800 crore from the crisis-ridden Yes bank. On March 6, Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman told a press conference that the Anil Ambani Group, Essel, ILFS, DHFL and Vodafone were among the stressed corporates Yes Bank had exposure to.
The agency has also sent a second summon to Essel Group chairman and Rajya Sabha MP Subhash Chandra to appear before it on March 21. Chandra was supposed to appear before the agency on March 18, but skipped it citing ongoing Parliament session.