The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has intensified its action and attached fresh assets worth more than Rs 1,400 crore linked to Reliance Group Chairman Anil Ambani, his group companies and linked entities as part of a money laundering probe. Earlier to this, the federal investigative agency had attached properties worth Rs 7,500 crore in this case. The latest provisional attachment order has been issued under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) for the assets located in various parts of the country, sources were quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
A response from the Reliance Group is awaited. According to reports, the latest development brings the total attachment in this case to about Rs 9,000 crore.
Anil Ambani skips ED summons
Earlier, Reliance Group Chairman Anil Ambani refused to appear before the Enforcement Directorate in a Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) case for the second time on Monday.
The businessman said he was ready to depose before the federal probe agency via "virtual appearance/recorded video", a statement he made when he skipped the summons the first time on November 14.
The ED had rejected Ambani's offer and issued him a fresh summons for Monday. It was not clear if the agency would issue a third summons now.
According to sources, the agency had asked Ambani to appear before it in person on Friday and record his statement under the FEMA. The investigation pertains to the Jaipur-Reengus highway project.
The ED has recorded the statement of various persons, including some alleged hawala dealers, following which they decided to summon Ambani, the sources said.
The businessman has been questioned once by the ED in a money laundering case linked to an alleged Rs 17,000-crore bank fraud against his group companies.
Supreme Court notices to Centre, CBI, ED, Anil Ambani
Earlier on Tuesday, the Supreme Court issued notices to the Centre, CBI, ED, Anil Ambani and others on a PIL seeking a court-monitored probe into alleged massive banking and corporate fraud involving Reliance Communications (RCOM), its group companies and their promoter.
With PTI inputs
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