The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is set to issue fresh summons to Tina Ambani, wife of industrialist Anil Ambani, after she failed to appear for questioning on Monday in connection with a money laundering probe involving Reliance Group companies, people familiar with the matter said.
The federal agency has constituted a special investigation team (SIT) to probe cases against Anil Ambani–led entities, in line with directions issued by the Supreme Court last week.
“We will issue a fresh summons to Tina Ambani. She was scheduled to appear on Monday but did not,” an ED officer said, requesting anonymity.
HT has sought a response from the Reliance Group. Anil Ambani was questioned by the agency in the matter last year.
On Wednesday, the Supreme Court directed central agencies to ensure that Anil Ambani does not leave the country and asked investigators to proceed “fairly, swiftly and without any fear or favour,” citing the scale of the alleged diversion of public funds.
In an affidavit filed before the court, the ED said its investigation had uncovered large-scale loan defaults by several Reliance Group companies. Reliance Home Finance Ltd allegedly defaulted on loans worth ₹7,523.46 crore taken from 33 banks and financial institutions. Lenders recovered ₹2,116.28 crore after resolution, leaving net defaults of ₹5,407.18 crore, which the agency said constituted proceeds of crime under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Reliance Commercial Finance Ltd defaulted on loans totalling ₹8,226.05 crore from 21 lenders, with recoveries of ₹1,945.48 crore, resulting in alleged proceeds of crime of ₹6,280.57 crore, the ED said.
In a separate case linked to a State Bank of India complaint, the agency said Reliance Communications Ltd, along with group firms Reliance Telecom Ltd and Reliance Infratel Ltd, had borrowed from 13 foreign banks and institutional investors and 26 Indian lenders, with outstanding dues amounting to ₹40,185.55 crore — a figure the ED has also classified as alleged proceeds of crime.
The ED informed the Supreme Court that it has so far registered three cases under the PMLA.
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