Paytm Says Recent ED Investigation Related to Old Probes: Report

Paytm has reportedly denied anything new being investigated in the recent search by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) at the company’s premises on Wednesday. As per a report, a Paytm spokesperson clarified that the federal agency has only sought information linked to the ongoing probes on certain merchants in recent search operation. It was reported earlier in the day that ED has conducted searches on certain premises of One 97 Communications’s Paytm and payment solutions provider PayU. The federal agency also investigated the companies earlier this month.

According to an ANI report, the ED launched a search operation at Paytm premises on Wednesday. However, according to a Paytm spokesperson, the recent ED searches does not involve any new information being investigated. The federal agency is reportedly seeking additional information on the ongoing probes on certain merchants, as per the spokesperson.

The spokesperson from Paytm also mentioned that the company has shared whatever information was sought by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED), according to the report. “As we have mentioned before, ED continues to seek information about certain merchants from various payment service providers, we have shared the required information,” mentioned the report citing the spokesperson.

Paytm and PayU earlier faced ED queries at six premises in Bengaluru on September 3. The company also released a statement on the search operation, stating, “As a part of ongoing investigations on a specific set of merchants, the ED has sought information regarding such merchants to whom we provide payment processing solutions. It is hereby clarified that these merchants are independent entities, and none of them are our group entities.”

At the time of these searches, the ED also instructed Paytm to freeze certain amounts from the Merchant IDs of a specific set of merchant. Paytm clarified that the frozen funds do not belong to the company or any of its subsidiaries.