Reliance Group Chairman Anil Ambani has once again declined to appear before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) case. This marks the second time Ambani has skipped the summons, having previously missed the initial request on November 14, 2025. The ED had summoned Ambani to personally record his statement regarding the case.
Ambani, however, has reiterated his willingness to cooperate with the investigation by offering to depose via virtual appearance or recorded video, at a date and time convenient to the ED. Despite this offer, the ED turned down the request for a virtual deposition and issued a fresh summons, requiring Ambani to appear in person at the agency's Delhi headquarters on Monday, November 17. It remains uncertain whether the ED will issue a third summons.
The FEMA case is reportedly linked to a 15-year-old inquiry into the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contract for the Jaipur–Reengus (JR) Highway project. According to Ambani's spokesperson, the ED summons pertains solely to recording his statement. The spokesperson emphasized that Reliance Infrastructure Ltd. had awarded the EPC contract for the construction of the road and that the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has been operating the road for over four years. They further stated that it was a purely domestic contract with no foreign exchange component involved.
In a statement, Ambani's spokesperson clarified that he served as a non-executive director at Reliance Infrastructure Ltd. for approximately 15 years, from April 2007 to March 2022, and was never involved in the company's day-to-day management.
The ED's investigation also involves allegations that Rs 40 crore was "siphoned" from the Jaipur-Reengus highway project. The agency claims that the funds moved through Surat-based shell companies to Dubai, revealing a wider international hawala network exceeding Rs 600 crore. The ED has reportedly recorded statements from various individuals, including alleged hawala dealers, before summoning Ambani. Hawala refers to the illegal movement of funds, often in cash.
It's important to note that proceedings under FEMA are civil in nature, unlike criminal investigations conducted under the anti-money laundering law. 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.
