Why has Anil Ambani been summoned by the ED in the Rs 17,000 crore loan fraud investigation?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Anil Ambani is under investigation for an alleged Rs 17,000-crore loan fraud.
- The ED has conducted extensive raids, seizing critical evidence.
- Funds may have been misused through shell entities.
- The CBI is also investigating other companies within the Reliance Group.
- Bribery allegations against bank officials are under scrutiny.
Mumbai, Aug 1 (NationPress) The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has summoned Anil Ambani, the chairman and managing director of Reliance Group (RAAGA companies), for questioning regarding its ongoing investigation into an alleged Rs 17,000-crore loan fraud case.
Anil Ambani is required to appear at the ED headquarters in the national capital on August 5, as per sources familiar with the situation.
Last week, ED raids on the premises of individuals associated with Anil Ambani's Reliance Group concluded, with investigators seizing a substantial amount of documents, hard drives, and various digital records from multiple locations in Mumbai and Delhi.
The raids commenced on Thursday as part of a money laundering investigation tied to the Yes Bank loan fraud case.
The enforcement agency and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) are conducting an extensive money laundering inquiry. This operation is a segment of a larger investigation into alleged financial misconduct, including potential fund diversion, loan fraud, and money laundering.
The ED's investigation is centered on determining whether funds from banks were funneled through shell companies and misappropriated by group entities. Meanwhile, the CBI has reportedly initiated its own investigation into other firms within Anil Ambani's Reliance Group.
Following FIRs registered by the CBI, the ED began investigating the crime of money laundering involving RAAGA Companies under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Various agencies and institutions, including the National Housing Bank, SEBI, National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA), and Bank of Baroda, have also shared information with the ED, according to trusted sources.
A preliminary investigation by the ED has uncovered a devised and strategic scheme aimed at diverting public funds by deceiving banks, shareholders, investors, and other public institutions. The crime of bribing bank officials, including the Promoter of Yes Bank Limited, is also being scrutinized.
Initial probes have indicated illegal loan diversion of approximately Rs 3,000 crore from Yes Bank (between 2017 and 2019).
The ED has discovered that shortly before the loan approval, Yes Bank promoters received funds in their accounts. The agency is also delving into this bribery nexus and the associated loan.