02 September,2011 08:42 AM IST | | Mid Day Correspondent
Case on the basis of report from the RBI and inputs from abroad on 'suspicious' financial transactions by the Yoga Guru's trusts
Yoga guru Baba Ramdev and his Haridwar-based trusts have been booked by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a case of alleged foreign exchange violation, official sources said on Thursday.
Baba Ramdev
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, they 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.
Efforts to repeatedly contact Ramdev's spokesperson did not succeed.
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.Meanwhile, Ramdev denied having any information on the issue.
"There have been media reports that ED has registered a case against me. We have not received any information about this," Ramdev told a TV news channel.
The yoga guru said neither he nor his trust is involved in any illegal activity and they operate in transparent manner. The case has been registered under the Foreign Exchange Managment Act (FEMA), official sources added.
They said the ED has evidence of a Rs.7 crore remittance from Britain recently. Ramdev's castle on the Little Cumbrae Island in Scotland is also being investigated, it is learnt. The castle in Largs town is used by Ramdev as his base outside India.