ED Director warns action against officers interacting with media

New Delhi, May 21 (IANS) In wake of leaks of information about ongoing investigations, Enforcement Directorate (ED) Director Sanjay Kumar Mishra on Tuesday ordered a bar on any "unauthorized officers" from interacting with the media and warned of action for any violation.

"It has been observed that certain information relating to ongoing investigations have been published in the media. This information relating to impending action may jeopardise the interests of ongoing investigations," Mishra said in a official communication.

"To avoid unwarranted interaction with the media, a Technical Circular No 12/2018 dated 30.11. 2018 has also been issued (copy enclosed). However, it has been noticed that the aforesaid circular has not been followed in the right spirit," he said, ordering that any case of an ED official, other than the one authorized, found interacting with media, should be brought to the knowledge of the Principal Special Director or even him immediately. 

"Any deviation will amount to dereliction of duty and liable for punitive action," Mishra said.

Sources said that the memorandum was issued following media reports related to the ED's ongoing investigation in the Rs 1,875 crore ICICI-Videocon loan case involving ICICI Bank's former CEO and Managing Director Chanda Kochhar and her husband Deepak Kochhar who recently faced over 60 hours of questioning at the agency's headquarters over five days starting May 13.