Zeenews Bureau
New Delhi: Tightening the noose on the yoga guru, the Enforcement Directorate registered a foreign exchange violation case against Baba Ramdev and his trusts.
The Directorate registered the case on the basis of a
report from the RBI and inputs from abroad on "suspicious"
financial transactions done by Ramdev`s trusts, the official sources said.
The ED had earlier allegedly found foreign remittances
and inflow of certain funds during its discreet probe in the
case and the action has now been taken under the provisions of
the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), the sources said.
In connection with its probe into Ramdev`s finances, the
ED had approached authorities in the UK seeking financial
details about an island in Scotland that was `gifted` to the
Yoga guru by a couple who are among his followers.
The Little Cumbrae Island, off the fishing town of Largs
in Scotland, serves as Ramdev`s base overseas and also as a
wellness centre. The Directorate has asked the authorities in
the UK to help it get inputs on funding-related aspects of the
island, the sources said.
The ED`s probe is aimed at checking the flow of money and
transactions through various trusts floated by Ramdev
including the Patanjali Yogpeeth Trust, Divya Yoga Mandir
Trust and Bharat Swabhiman Trust, they said.
The agency had also approached officials in the island
nation of Madagascar.
Ramdev denies any wrongdoing
Meanwhile, reacting to reports of the foreign exchange violations case registered against him, Baba Ramdev clarified on Thursday that he had no knowledge of the FEMA charges against him and that he had heard of “the allegations only through the media.”
Speaking to a news channel, the yoga guru made it clear that he is yet to get any notice from the ED.
He also emphasised that his trust was run in a “transparent and open manner”.
On the issue of Cumbrae Island, the yoga guru said that it was “a gift to the trust by a devotee”.
With PTI inputs
