Amazon Files Petition Against ED, Seeks Clarification On 'Unnecessary Summons' To Its Employees

The plea is expected to be heard on Thursday before a bench of Delhi High Court led by Justice Rekha Palli. 

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New Delhi: E-commerce giant Amazon has filed a writ petition in the Delhi High Court seeking clarification on “unnecessary” summons issued to its employees by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), reported ANI. The company also questioned the scope of investigation in the alleged FEMA violation in the Future Group deal.

Amazon accused the ED of conducting a “fish and roving enquiry”  into the matter against them in the plea filed in the Delhi High Court. 

The company raised allegations against the ED of summoning multiple executives amounting to unnecessary harassment. "Pass an ad-interim order staying all and any investigation/inquiry/summons or proceedings commenced by ED in respect of the subject matter," demanded Amazon in its plea. 

Amazon seeks relief from clarification on "unnecessary" summons for ED investigation in Delhi High Court

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The plea is expected to be heard on Thursday before a bench of Delhi High Court led by Justice Rekha Palli. 

The Competition Commission of India recently said that Amazon’s 2019 deal with the future group stating that the E-commerce giant failed to notify certain commercial agreements as part of the 2019 deal. 

The company was also imposed a fine of Rs 200 crore as penalty, according to Reuters 

The CCI said that Amazon suppressed particulars regarding the investment into Indian retailer Future Group. The order contained that Amazon had "suppressed the actual scope" of the deal and had made "false and incorrect statements" while seeking approvals, as reported by Reuters. 

The report further stated that the 57 page order by the CCI considered "it necessary to examine the combination (deal) afresh," and added that its approval from 2019 “shall remain in abeyance” until then. 

A former CCI official and a partner at Indian law firm SD Partners said, “The approval is suspended. This is absolutely unprecedented."