Raids on as ED files money laundering case against Jet founder Naresh Goyal

New Delhi, Mar 05: The Enforcement Directorate has slapped a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) against Jet Airways founder, Naresh Goyal. This is the first time that Goyal has been booked for money laundering.

The case comes in the wake of the Mumbai police filing an FIR abasing Goyal based on a complaint by a travel agency. ED sources tell OneIndia that the probe has revealed money laundering. However in the absence of a predicate offence it was not in a position to register a case under the PMLA.

The ED also carried out searches in connection with the case. Last year Goyal was questioned by the ED following a case being registered under the provisions of the Foreign Exchange Management Act. Goyal has 14 privately held complaints in India and 5 abroad, the ED has learnt.

Jet Airways executed aircraft lease agreements with offshore entities that made payments to the firms. These firms are alleged to have diverted money to Goyal. The ED is currently examining the transactions of the airlines pertaining to the sales and distribution.