The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has summoned Tina Ambani, wife of businessman Anil Ambani, and formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to sharpen its probe into an alleged Rs. 40,000 crore banking and money-laundering scam linked to the Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group (ADAG), officials said.
The development comes after the Supreme Court of India expressed concern over delays in the investigation and pushed for a coordinated, time-bound inquiry into the alleged financial irregularities.
At the heart of the case are loans worth tens of thousands of crores of rupees extended by public sector banks to various ADAG companies over the years. Investigators are examining whether these funds were used for their stated purposes or diverted through complex layers of groups and related entities.
The ED is probing suspected violations under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), including allegations of fund siphoning, round-tripping, and misrepresentation to lenders. Multiple Enforcement Case Information Reports (ECIRs) have already been filed, and assets worth several thousand crore rupees have been provisionally attached in earlier phases of the probe.
Officials said the newly formed SIT will bring together senior officers to streamline the investigation and build a clear money trail across companies and years. “The idea is to avoid fragmented inquiries and move faster on facts and accountability,” said an official aware of the matter.
Sources said Tina Ambani has been called to record her statement as the agency examines financial linkages, governance roles, and trust-related transactions connected to the group. The questioning is expected to focus on specific transactions and the flow of funds during the period under scrutiny.
ED officials stressed that a summons does not imply guilt, but is part of routine fact-finding in a complex financial investigation. There was no immediate response from Tina Ambani or ADAG to the latest summons.
Once a major force in India’s corporate landscape, ADAG had interests spanning telecom, power, infrastructure, and defence manufacturing. Over the past decade, several group companies have faced mounting debt, insolvency proceedings, and steep losses for lenders.
Alongside the ED probe, the Supreme Court has asked the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to examine possible bank fraud and criminal conspiracy angles. With the SIT now in place, investigators are expected to move more quickly, with more statements, forensic audits, and legal action likely in the weeks ahead.