Mumbai: Journalist Rana Ayyub stopped from flying to London

Journalist Rana Ayyub on Tuesday said she was stopped at Mumbai airport before she could board a flight to London.

Taking to Twitter, she wrote, "I was stopped today at Mumbai immigration from travelling to deliver this address and onwards to International Journalism Festival to deliver the keynote speech on Indian democracy."

"I had made this announcement public over weeks, yet the ED (Enforcement Directorate) summon very curiously arrived in my inbox after I was stopped," she added.

International Centre for Journalists, a Washington-based non-profit, had invited Ayyub to the United Kingdom for an expert discussion on online violence against women journalists.

Meanwhile, the journalist an accused in an alleged money laundering case, which is being investigated by the ED.

Last month, the ED had attached funds worth over Rs 1.77 crore of Ayyub in connection with a money laundering probe linked to alleged diversion of donor funds for personal use.

The agency had issued a provisional order under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) to attach a fixed deposit and bank balances in her and her family's name.

The money laundering case against Ayyub is based on a September 2021 FIR of Ghaziabad Police (Uttar Pradesh) related to alleged irregularities in funds obtained by her from the public for charitable purposes.

However, she has repeatedly dismissed the allegations and said they are, "preposterous, wholly mala fide and belied by record, and is a deliberate misreading of my bank statements".

Reportedly, the ED has summoned her for questioning on April 1.

Published on: Tuesday, March 29, 2022, 10:46 PM IST