ED questions Jet's Naresh Goyal over FEMA violations

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is questioning Jet Airways' founder Naresh Goyal over violation of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), according to a report by The Economic Times.

The federal agency recently carried out searches at about 10 properties linked to Jet, Goyal and those of his close associates in Mumbai and Delhi on charges of alleged contravention of the foreign exchange law. This is the first instance where the body is questioning Goyal.

Last month, the ED had alleged that Goyal "structured" a number of tax evasion schemes and siphoned off huge funds in foreign jurisdictions.

"The search resulted in the seizure of various incriminating documents and digital evidences. Further investigation and analysis of the seized documents is going on," the agency had said in a statement issued on August 24.

Earlier, it has said that the preliminary probe indicated "that Goyal structured various tax evasion schemes involving its domestic and foreign companies, thereby siphoning off a huge amount in foreign jurisdictions through dubious or fictitious transactions".

Goyal "indirectly" controls various entities abroad, some of which are in tax haven nations, according to the statement issued by the ED.