New Delhi, Feb 21: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has imposed a penalty of over ₹3.44 crore on BBC World Service India for allegedly violating foreign direct investment (FDI) regulations, officials said on Friday.
In addition, the agency has fined three of the company’s directors—Giles Antony Hunt, Indu Shekhar Sinha, and Paul Michael Gibbons—₹1.14 crore each. The action follows an adjudication order issued under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA).
The proceedings were initiated after a show-cause notice was sent on August 4, 2023, to BBC WS India, its three directors, and its finance head over multiple contraventions under FEMA.
According to sources, BBC WS India, a fully FDI-funded entity, continued operating at 100% foreign investment while engaging in digital news and current affairs streaming—despite government regulations capping FDI in digital media at 26%. This, officials said, was a “gross violation” of the rules established by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) under Press Note 4, issued on September 18, 2019.
The total penalty includes a ₹5,000 daily fine from October 15, 2021, until compliance.
