New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday took on record fresh status reports filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the ongoing probe into the alleged large-scale bank fraud involving Anil Ambani-controlled Reliance Communications (RCom) and associated group entities.
A bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant, and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M. Pancholi, was informed by advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for the petitioner, that despite developments in the probe, the alleged “kingpin” in the matter had not been arrested.
“CBI and ED have filed status reports. The kingpin has not been arrested. Anil Ambani was identified as the kingpin. But nothing yet,” Bhushan submitted before the apex court.
Responding to the submissions, Solicitor General (SG) Tushar Mehta, appearing for the probe agencies, stated that he could not comment on why a particular individual had or had not been arrested.
“I cannot respond to why X or Y is not arrested. We have filed our status reports,” he submitted, while indicating that separate sealed reports had been placed before the Supreme Court by the CBI and ED.
Taking the reports on record, the CJI observed: “Status report taken on record. List next Friday.”
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for industrialist Anil Ambani, requested the CJI-led Bench to hear his submissions for at least 30 minutes before any further action is taken.
The apex court assured that Ambani’s side would be given a full opportunity to present its case, remarking: “We will hear you. Before taking cognisance of the report, we will also hear from you.”
The matter relates to alleged large-scale financial irregularities and loan fraud involving RCom and its group entities. Earlier, the apex court had stressed the need for a coordinated, transparent, and time-bound investigation, directing Central agencies, including the ED and the CBI, to “join hands” in unearthing the truth behind the alleged large-scale financial irregularities and loan fraud involving RCom and its group entities.
Meanwhile, the ED recently said it had provisionally attached fresh assets worth Rs 3,034.90 crore in the RCom bank fraud case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), taking the total attachment in Reliance Anil Ambani Group-related matters to over Rs 19,344 crore.
According to the ED, RCom and its group entities had availed loans from domestic and foreign lenders, with total outstanding dues amounting to Rs 40,185 crore. Separately, the CBI had earlier arrested two senior RCom executives — Joint President D. Vishwanath and Vice President Anil Kalya — in connection with the Rs 19,694 crore bank fraud case. The agency alleged that investigations revealed circuitous transactions through shell entities, along with bogus service-related transactions routed through discounted letters of credit, causing substantial losses to 17 public sector banks and financial institutions.
(IANS)
