New Delhi, Jan 23: The Supreme Court on Friday issued fresh notices to industrialist Anil Ambani and the Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group (ADAG) on a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking a court-monitored probe into alleged large-scale banking and corporate fraud involving the group and its companies.
The apex court directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to submit status reports in sealed cover within 10 days on their ongoing investigations. The agencies were represented by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi noted that Anil Ambani and ADAG had already been served notices in the PIL filed by former Union secretary E A S Sarma. The bench said it was granting a last opportunity to Ambani and the group to appear and file their responses in the matter.
The court also asked the Registrar General of the Bombay High Court to ensure proper service of notices on Ambani and ADAG and submit a compliance report. The matter has been listed for further hearing after 10 days.
Earlier, the bench had issued notices on November 18 last year to the Centre, CBI, ED, Anil Ambani and ADAG in the case. Taking note of submissions by petitioner’s counsel Prashant Bhushan, the court had sought replies from the parties.
Bhushan alleged that probe agencies were not examining the alleged complicity of banks and their officials in what he described as “probably the largest corporate fraud in India’s history.” He said the alleged fraud had been continuing since 2007-08, though an FIR was registered only in 2025.
The PIL alleges systematic diversion of public funds, falsification of financial statements and institutional collusion across multiple ADAG entities, claiming that the CBI FIR and related ED proceedings cover only a limited portion of the alleged fraud.
