Anil Ambani skips ED summons 2nd time in FEMA case, says ready to depose virtually
New Delhi (PTI): Reliance Group Chairman Anil Ambani refused to appear before the Enforcement Directorate in a Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) case for the second time on Monday.
The businessman said he was ready to depose before the federal probe agency via "virtual appearance/recorded video", a statement he made when he skipped the summons the first time on November 14.
The ED had rejected Ambani's offer and issued him a fresh summons for Monday. It was not clear if the agency would issue a third summons now.
Proceedings under the FEMA are civil in nature, as against the criminal processes under the anti-money laundering law.
In a statement, a spokesperson of the 66-year-old businessman said, "Mr Anil D. Ambani has offered to make himself available for the recording of his statement, at any date and time suitable to ED, via virtual appearance/recorded video."
According to sources, the agency had asked Ambani to appear before it in person on Friday and record his statement under the FEMA.
The investigation pertains to the Jaipur-Reengus highway project.
In an earlier statement, the ED said that after recently attaching assets worth Rs 7,500 crore belonging to Ambani and his companies under the anti-money laundering law, a search carried out against Reliance Infrastructure Ltd. found that Rs 40 crore was allegedly "siphoned" from the highway project.
"Funds moved through Surat-based shell companies to Dubai. The trail has unearthed a wider international hawala network exceeding Rs 600 crore," the agency said.
The ED has recorded the statement of various persons, including some alleged hawala dealers, following which they decided to summon Ambani, the sources said.
Hawala denotes illegal movement of funds, largely in cash.
"The matter (FEMA case) is 15 years old, dates to 2010. It concerns issues associated with a road contractor," the statement said.
In 2010, Reliance Infrastructure Ltd. awarded an EPC (engineering, procurement and construction) contract to build the JR Toll Road (Jaipur-Reengus highway), it said.
"This was a purely domestic contract with no foreign exchange component involved whatsoever. The JR Toll Road has been fully completed and, from 2021 onwards, has been with the National Highways Authority of India," the statement said.
Ambani is not a member of the Board of Reliance Infrastructure.
"He served the company for about 15 years, from April 2007 to March 2022, only as a non-executive director, and was never involved in day-to-day management of the company," it said.
The businessman has been questioned once by the ED in a money laundering case linked to an alleged Rs 17,000-crore bank fraud against his group companies.
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Elephant calf brought from Bijnor kept under care at Pilibhit Tiger Reserve
Pilibhit (PTI): A 19-day-old elephant calf, brought from Bijnor, was placed under care at the Pilibhit Tiger Reserve (PTR) on Sunday, an official said and added that the calf got separated from its mother in the forest area of Bijnor.
The calf was born on December 2 in the Bijnor forest area and got separated from its mother shortly after birth, the official said.
The forest department made several attempts to reunite it with its mother, but without any success. To ensure the calf's safety and better care, it was decided to transfer it to the Pilibhit Tiger Reserve on the instructions of senior officials.
On Saturday, Deputy Director Manish Singh received the calf. Special arrangements have been made in the reserve for its care. It has been kept in a safe and clean environment to provide it with a natural setting and protect it from external noise and disturbances.
Singh told reporters that raising an 19-day-old calf is challenging.
It requires a special diet as a substitute for mother's milk and constant monitoring.
He said a special team has been formed to provide 24-hour care. Since the calf is very young, it is being cared for like a newborn baby.
According to Singh, the primary responsibility for monitoring the calf's health has been entrusted to PTR's veterinarian, Dr Daksh Gangwar. Under his supervision, a complete record of the calf's health checkups, diet, and body temperature is being maintained. The team is ensuring that the calf does not contract any infection.
