ED books Jet Airways founder Naresh Goyal in money laundering case

Jet Airways founder Naresh Goyal and few others have been booked by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case even as the agency is conducting searches at his premises in Mumbai.

The agency officials said that a criminal case against the former chairman of the airlines was filed under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act -PMLA after taking cognizance of a recent Mumbai Police FIR filed against him. The officials informed that the ED carried out raids at Goyal's premises in Mumbai yesterday and also questioned him after filing the case. While the action is continuing today also. The Mumbai Police FIR pertains to charges of alleged



fraud by Goyal and others against a Mumbai-based travel company.

Goyal has earlier been grilled by the central probe agency in a case filed under the Foreign Exchange Management Act -FEMA in September last year. The agency had carried out similar raids, under the FEMA, in August last year against Goyal, his family and others. ED has alleged in the past that the businessman's empire had 19 privately-held companies, five of which were registered abroad. The agency is probing charges that these firms allegedly carried out doubtful transactions under the guise of selling, distribution and operating expenses.