The Enforcement Directorate (ED) provisionally attached a high-profile industrialist Anil Ambani's home on Wednesday, February 25, in a major step in the continuing money laundering probe into the Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group (ADAG). The residential premises are in the Pali Hill area of Bandra, Mumbai, and was designated as ‘Abode’, a 17-storey luxury tower. Worth about ₹3,716.83 crore, the attachment was one of the biggest property seizures in India’s recent corporate history.
Investigation: RCom Bank Fraud
ED action is in keeping with the broader investigation which has been conducted under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and which revolves around FIRs identified by the CBI in relation to Reliance Communications (RCom) and its authorities. The Investigation revolves around the following allegations:
- Massive Defaults: RCom et al are reported to have outstanding loans of more than ₹40,185 crore from a consortium of Indian and foreign lenders.
- Diversion of Funds: Agencies claimed loans may have made its way elsewhere for purposes other than those spelled out in sanction letters included "evergreening" of loans and transfers to shell entities.
The RiseE Trust Maneuver
The investigators determined the ‘Abode’ property had been consolidated into the RiseE Trust, a private family trust. This restructuring was a "sham," alleges the ED, intended to protect the asset from personal liabilities and guarantees from Anil Ambani to lender banks. Escalation in attachment value. With the attachment of 'Abode', the total worth of the assets seized by the ED in connection with Anil Ambani Group is now an amazing ₹15,700 crore. November 2025: Part of the property that was previously attached which was worth ₹473.17 crore.
Current action: The most recent order goes into consideration of the remaining and dominant value of the 66-metre-tall house. Legal Pressure and future summons The timing of the attachment becomes important. It is due only one day before Anil Ambani is planned ahead in a second round of questioning before the federal agency.
Ambani’s testimony had been taken before the ED in the third hearing in August last year which was recorded in the PMLA. In addition, the Supreme Court told the ED that it has instructed the ED to form a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the ₹40,000 crore bank fraud accusations in a timely manner in order to accelerate the investigation and noted the delay in earlier investigation.
The "Abode" residence is still under a provisional attachment (the family can live there at this time but does not have the option to sell or transfer the property), however, confirming or enforcing the order would eventually result in a full confiscation by the state from the PMLA Adjudicating Authority.
