Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA)

2. Omission of Criminal Proceedings

Under FERA, any contravention was a criminal offence and the proceedings were governed by the code of Criminal Procedure. Moreover the Enforcement Directorate had powers to arrest any person, search any premises, seize documents, initiate proceeding.

Now all these have been done away with, and contravention of FEMA is no more a Criminal offence, and only monetary penalty, i.e. civil proceedings are applicable. Civil imprisonment is provided, only in case of default to pay fine.