Delhi HC dismisses Mahua Moitra's plea alleging media leakage from ED

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Friday dismissed Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Mahua Moitra's plea against the alleged leakage of "confidential" information from the ED to the media in relation to a probe against her under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA).

"Dismissed," said Justice Subramonium Prasad while pronouncing the verdict.

Moitra had sought a direction to restrain the Enforcement Directorate (ED) from "leaking any information, including any confidential, sensitive, unverified/unconfirmed information, to the print/electronic media in relation to the ongoing investigation".

She had also sought a direction to restrain several media organisations from "leaking, publishing/broadcasting of any information related to the ongoing investigation/proceedings in relation to the investigation being carried out by Respondent No.1 (ED) ... under which a FEMA summons has been issued to the petitioner".

A detailed copy of the court's decision is awaited.

The senior counsel appearing in the court on behalf of the former MP earlier claimed that Moitra was being "hounded" and information on the issuance of the summons to her by the federal agency was published by the media even before she received it.

The ED had issued the summons to Moitra in a case lodged under the FEMA.

Transactions linked to a non-resident external (NRE) account are under the agency's scanner in the case, apart from a few other foreign remittances and transfer of funds, sources said.

In her petition, Moitra had said the "leakages" to the media of confidential information regarding the investigation was causing a grave and prejudicial impact on her right to a free-and-fair investigation.