Anil Ambani Offers Virtual Appearance to ED After FEMA Summons, Agency Rejects Request

Anil Ambani, the 66-year-old chairman of the heavily indebted Reliance Group, has formally offered to cooperate with the Enforcement Directorate through a virtual appearance after being summoned under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) for Friday. In a letter to the agency, Ambani assured “full and complete cooperation” in the ongoing investigation but requested remote testimony. However, ED sources confirmed the request was rejected outright, with a new date for in-person deposition expected shortly.

The case centres on the Jaipur-Reengus Highway Project executed in 2010 by Reliance Infrastructure, where the ED alleges Rs 40 crore was illegally diverted through Surat-based shell companies before being routed to Dubai. This forms part of a larger Rs 600 crore international hawala network uncovered during recent raids and interrogations of suspected money handlers. Having recorded statements from several hawala operators, the agency deemed Ambani’s personal testimony essential.

Ambani’s spokesperson insists the 2010 EPC contract was entirely domestic with no foreign exchange involvement and that the completed toll road has been under NHAI control since 2021. They emphasized that Ambani was never on the board of Reliance Infrastructure during the project and served only as a non-executive director from 2007 to 2022, with no role in day-to-day management.

Also Read: ED Arrests Key Suspect in ₹68 Crore Fake Bank Guarantee Case Linked to Reliance Power

The ED recently attached over Rs 7,500 crore in assets belonging to Ambani and his companies under anti-money laundering provisions, intensifying pressure on the once-prominent industrialist. This marks the second time he faces ED scrutiny, following a previous money laundering probe linked to an alleged Rs 17,000 crore bank fraud involving his group firms.

With virtual testimony denied and a fresh summons imminent, the FEMA investigation threatens to deepen the financial and legal troubles surrounding Anil Ambani and his crumbling business empire.

Also Read: #JustIn: ED Summons Anil Ambani for Second Questioning on November 14