ED provisionally attaches Anil Ambani’s Mumbai home ‘Abode’

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has provisionally attached the luxury Mumbai residence ‘Abode’ belonging to Reliance Group chairman Anil Ambani in connection with an alleged money laundering case. The property, located in the upscale Pali Hill area, is valued at about Rs 3,716.83 crore.

Officials said the action was taken under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) as part of the ongoing investigation into alleged bank fraud linked to Reliance Communications (RCOM). With this move, the total value of assets attached in the case has reached around Rs 15,700 crore.

Property under scanner

‘Abode’, a 17-storey luxury tower in Mumbai’s elite Pali Hill neighbourhood, has long been seen as a symbol of the Ambani family’s wealth. The ED claims the property is linked to proceeds generated from alleged fraudulent loan dealings by RCOM.

Investigators said the residence had earlier been partly attached for Rs 473.17 crore. The latest provisional order brings the entire property under the agency’s control while the probe continues.

The ED’s case originates from an FIR registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The FIR names RCOM, Anil Ambani and others under charges including criminal conspiracy, cheating and corruption.

Loans and next steps

According to officials, RCOM and its related entities had taken massive loans from domestic and foreign banks, leaving unpaid dues of about Rs 40,185 crore that later turned into non-performing assets.

The ED also suspects that ownership of ‘Abode’ was routed through a family-controlled trust to shield the asset and avoid personal guarantee obligations linked to the loans.

Anil Ambani, 66, is expected to be questioned again by the agency as the investigation deepens. The ED has said it remains committed to tracing and attaching assets linked to alleged laundering of public money. Further legal proceedings in the matter are underway.