The federal agency was responding to certain news reports
that said Xiaomi alleged in a recent filing before the Karnataka High Court
that its top executives were threatened with "physical violence and
coercion" during their questioning by ED investigators in Bengaluru.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) issued a statement saying
it was "a professional agency with strong work ethics and there was no
coercion or threat to the officers of the company at any point of time".
"The allegations that the statement of the officials of
Xiaomi India was taken under coercion by ED is untrue and baseless."
"The officials of Xiaomi India deposed their statements before ED under
FEMA voluntarily in the most conducive environment on various occasions,"
the agency said.
It said the statements were deposed by them on the basis of
documents and information provided by the company during the course of
investigation.
"Their statements corroborate with the written replies
submitted to ED and the material on record," the agency said.
The development comes in the backdrop of ED passing an order
on April 29 to seize Xiaomi India's funds worth over Rs. 5,551 crore over the
alleged violation of the Indian foreign exchange law (Foreign Exchange
Management Act).
The Karnataka High Court earlier this week stayed this ED
order.
The agency added that the statement of Xiaomi global vice
president Manu Kumar Jain was recorded on four occasions, April 13, April 14,
April 21 and April 26 while that of chief financial officer (CFO) Sameer B S
Rao was recorded on six occasions.
Rao's statement were recorded on March 25, April 14, April
19, April 21, April 22 and April 26, it said.
"However, no complaint was filed by them at any point
of time during recording of statements at various occasions." "Last statement of the officials of the
company was recorded on 26.04.2022 and the seizure order was passed on
29.04.2022. It appears that allegation now made after passage of substantial
time is an afterthought," it said.
The agency said the allegations of Xiaomi are "baseless
and far from the facts." Xiaomi is a trader and distributor of mobile
phones in the country under the brand name of MI.
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