India's Enforcement Directorate Makes First Arrest in 30 Billion INR Loan Fraud Case Linked to Anil Ambani



Indian Enforcement Directorate (ED) has made its first arrest in the high-profile 30 Billion INR ($ 375 million) loan fraud case connected to Anil Ambani’s Reliance Group. Partha Sarathi Biswal, Managing Director of Odisha-based Biswal Tradelink Pvt Ltd, was detained for orchestrating a fake bank guarantee worth 682 million INR on behalf of Reliance Power, a company under Anil Ambani’s group.


According to the ED, Biswal submitted falsified documents and forged endorsements that were used in a tender floated by the Solar Energy Corporation of India Ltd (SECI). Reliance Power paid Biswal’s company Rs 54 million in exchange for the fake guarantees. Biswal’s company, incorporated in 2019, also maintained undisclosed bank accounts and used dummy directors to facilitate fraudulent transactions.


Biswal was remanded in ED custody until August 6 after being produced before a Delhi court. The agency plans to confront him with Anil Ambani when the industrialist appears for questioning on August 5. Anil Ambani has also been served a Look Out Circular to prevent travel abroad during the investigation.


The probe widened last week with the ED raiding 35 premises linked to the Reliance group in Mumbai and Delhi to uncover digital and documentary evidence. The investigation targets alleged illegal diversion of loans from Yes Bank and other financial institutions distributed between 2017 and 2019.


ED officials believe there was collusion between Biswal Tradelink and Reliance Nu Bess Ltd, which initially accused Biswal’s company of fraud. The agency is also scrutinizing possible quid pro quo in loans extended to the group’s companies.


Reliance Group maintains it acted bona fide and is a victim of fraud and forgery and says business operations have not been impacted by the investigation.


The case represents a major crackdown on financial irregularities in India’s corporate sector as regulatory agencies pursue action against alleged malpractices in loan arrangements involving prominent industrial houses.

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