Yes Bank Case: Anil Ambani Summoned In Connection With Rana Kapoor Probe

Reliance Group Chairman Anil Ambani has been summoned by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with its money-laundering probe against Yes Bank Ltd.'s former promoter Rana Kapoor and others, officials said today.

Ambani was asked to depose at the Enforcement Directorate office in Mumbai as his group companies are among the big entities whose loans went bad after borrowing from the crisis-hit bank.

The ED has accused Kapoor, his family members and others of laundering "proceeds of crime" worth Rs 4,300 crore by receiving alleged kickbacks in lieu of extending big loans that later turned sour.

The officials said Ambani has sought exemption from appearance on some personal grounds and he may be issued a new date. His companies are stated to have taken loans of about Rs 12,800 crore from the bank that turned NPAs. On March 11, Reliance Group said its entire debt from Yes Bank was fully secured and was availed in the ordinary course of business.

On Mar. 6, while addressing a press conference on the Yes Bank crisis, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that Reliance Group, Essel Group, IL&FS Group, DHFL and Vodafone Idea were among the stressed companies Yes Bank had exposure to.

Officials said promoters of all the big companies who had taken large loans from Yes Bank that later turned bad are being summoned for questioning in the case. Ambani's statement will be recorded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2010, upon deposition, they said.

Kapoor at present is in ED custody after he was arrested by the central investigating agency earlier this month.