Yes Bank: Anil Ambani appears before ED in Mumbai

Ambani's companies apparently took loans worth Rs 12,800 crore from Yes Bank

anil_ambani Reliance Group MD Anil Ambani | PTI

After skipping his summons on Monday, Reliance Group Chairman Anil Ambani on Thursday appeared before the Enforcement Directorate in Mumbai in connection with a money-laundering probe against Yes Bank promoter Rana Kapoor and others, officials said. 

The agency is expected to record the statement of the 60-year-old Ambani under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Ambani, who was summoned on Monday, failed to appear before the ED citing personal reasons. 

Ambani's nine group companies are stated to have taken loans of about Rs 12,800 crore from the bank that reportedly were under "stress". 

With rigorous probe continuing in the case, the ED on Monday lined up top corporate honchos, including Essel Group promoter Subhash Chandra, Jet Airways founder Naresh Goyal and Indiabulls chairman Sameer Gehlaut, to appear before it for questioning this week. All of them are being probed in cases related to money laundering. 

However, almost all of them have skipped the summons citing various reasons, including personal precautions in light of coronavirus. While  Wadhawan skipped the summons on Tuesday citing COVID-19 scare, Subhash Chandra has reportedly cited his commitment to attendance in the ongoing session of Parliament, reported The Indian Express. Chandra is a Rajya Sabha member 

The ED took up the money laundering probe against Rana Kapoor and others after the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) imposed a moratorium on the crisis-ridden Yes Bank earlier this month, restricting withdrawals to Rs 50,000 per depositor.

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 through their bank that later allegedly turned non-performing asset (NPA).

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