Anil Ambani Skips ED Summons Again, Offers Only 'Virtual Appearance' in FEMA Probe

Reliance Group Chairman Anil Ambani declined to appear before the Enforcement Directorate for a second time on Monday in connection with a Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) case.

The businessman reiterated that he was willing to depose before the federal agency through a "virtual appearance/recorded video", the same position he took when he skipped the earlier summons issued on 14 November.

The ED rejected Ambani’s request and issued a fresh summons for Monday. It remains unclear whether a third summons will now be issued.

Proceedings under FEMA are civil in nature, unlike the criminal procedures associated with the anti-money laundering law.

In a statement, a spokesperson for the 66-year-old businessman said, "Mr Anil D. Ambani has offered to make himself available for the recording of his statement, at any date and time suitable to ED, via virtual appearance/recorded video." Sources said the agency had directed Ambani to appear in person on Friday to record his statement under FEMA.

The investigation relates to the Jaipur–Reengus highway project.

According to an earlier ED statement, after recently attaching assets worth Rs 7,500 crore belonging to Ambani and his companies under the anti-money laundering law, a search at Reliance Infrastructure Ltd uncovered that Rs 40 crore had allegedly been "siphoned" from the highway project.

"Funds moved through Surat-based shell companies to Dubai. The trail has unearthed a wider international hawala network exceeding Rs 600 crore," the agency said.

The ED has recorded statements from several individuals, including alleged hawala operators, before deciding to summon Ambani, the sources said.

Hawala refers to the illegal movement of money, primarily in cash.

"The matter (FEMA case) is 15 years old, dates to 2010. It concerns issues associated with a road contractor," the statement said.

In 2010, Reliance Infrastructure Ltd awarded an EPC contract to build the JR Toll Road (Jaipur–Reengus highway), it said.

"This was a purely domestic contract with no foreign exchange component involved whatsoever. The JR Toll Road has been fully completed and, from 2021 onwards, has been with the National Highways Authority of India," the statement said.

Ambani is not a member of the Reliance Infrastructure Board.

"He served the company for about 15 years, from April 2007 to March 2022, only as a non-executive director, and was never involved in day-to-day management of the company," it said.

Ambani has previously been questioned by the ED in a money laundering case linked to an alleged Rs 17,000-crore bank fraud involving his group companies.