ED books Ramdev for forex violation

Yoga guru Ramdev and his Haridwar-based trusts have been booked by the Enforcement Directorate in a case of alleged foreign exchange violation, official sources said today.

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.
   
The Little Cumbrae Island, off the fishing town of Largs in Scotland, serves as Ramdev's base overseas and also as a wellness centre. The Directorate has asked the authorities in the UK to help it get inputs on funding-related aspects of the island, the sources said.
   
The ED's probe is aimed at checking the flow of money and transactions through various trusts floated by Ramdev including the Patanjali Yogpeeth Trust, Divya Yoga Mandir Trust and Bharat Swabhiman Trust, they said.
   
The agency had also approached officials in the island nation of Madagascar.