The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has summoned Congress leader Salman Khurshid's wife, Louise Khurshid, for questioning in connection with a money-laundering investigation related to the alleged misuse of government funds in the distribution of artificial limbs and equipment by a trust headed by her, sources revealed on Saturday.
Louise Khurshid has been directed to appear at the ED zonal office in Lucknow on February 15 to provide her statement under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Recently, an MP-MLA court in Uttar Pradesh's Bareilly issued an arrest warrant against Louise Khurshid and another accused in the case, scheduling February 16 as the next hearing date.
Salman Khurshid, a former Union minister in the UPA government, is also implicated in this investigation.
The ED's money laundering case originated from an FIR filed by the state police in 2017. According to Special Public Prosecutor Achintya Dwivedi, an investigation revealed discrepancies in a program organized by the Dr. Zakir Hussain Memorial Trust for Disabled Persons, led by Louise Khurshid, in the Bhojipura area during 2009-10. Allegations of government funds misuse surfaced, involving counterfeit seals and signatures in the program.
The primary accused in the case include Louise Khurshid, project manager of the trust, Pratyush Shukla (now deceased), and the trust's secretary, Athar Farooqui. The ED has already recorded statements from Shukla's wife and others, and now seeks Louise Khurshid's involvement in the probe.
The Uttar Pradesh Police had previously filed a charge sheet against both accused individuals. Despite repeated summons from the court, they failed to appear or obtain bail in the case.
(With Agency Inputs)
Read also| JD-U MLA Sparks Controversy, Suggests Willingness to Accept Bribe if Offered
Read also| Money Laundering Case: Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren Questioned by ED
