The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has sought a report from the Union Home Ministry on how meat exporter Moin Qureshi, who is under the scanner of the Income-Tax Department and the Enforcement Directorate (ED), was allowed to travel to Dubai last week despite a pending look-out circular against him.
“Yes, we have ordered an enquiry,” a top intelligence official told The Hindu. The official said immigration officials, who were posted at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in the national capital, would be quizzed to determine why Mr. Qureshi was allowed to board a flight to Dubai.
The Immigration Department functions under the Intelligence Bureau, but the overall authority lies with the Home Ministry.
The government has taken the matter seriously given that businessman Vijay Mallya, who is an accused in two bank fraud cases being pursued by the Central Bureau of Investigation and the ED, had also flown out of the country in March. Former IPL chief Lalit Modi too has not returned, despite repeated summons from the ED.
According to an agency official, the ED had issued the circular in September, requesting immigration officials to detain Mr. Qureshi and inform the agency if he attempted to travel abroad. In view of the circular, the immigration officials on duty had intercepted Mr. Qureshi on the night of October 14 for questioning. Intimation was also given to the ED.
However, it is alleged that even before the ED team arrived, he was allowed to board the flight after he showed court documents granting him permission to go abroad on furnishing a bond. The court order was issued in May.
Investigations are under way to ascertain whether the court order has any bearing on the circular issued by the ED. It is learnt that the agency has already recorded Mr. Qureshi’s statements in connection with the ongoing money laundering probe and another one under the Foreign Exchange Management Act. No summons is currently pending against him.
