3 weeks ago
ED files money-laundering case against Reliance Infra over fund diversion
India has special police officers called the Enforcement Directorate who investigate money crimes.
They say a big building company took money that was meant for building roads.
The company is called Reliance Infrastructure, and it belongs to the Anil Ambani business group.
About Rs 187 crore, which is a very large amount, was supposed to be used for four highway projects.
Instead, the officers say the company pretended to pay other builders for work that never happened.
Some of the money ended up with companies that had nothing to do with road building.
The officers also say fake papers were made to make the payments look real.
They have taken control of property worth the same amount of money.
A man named Sateesh Seth was arrested in June and is still in jail.
The police are checking whether anyone else was involved.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) filed a prosecution complaint under the PMLA against Reliance Infrastructure Ltd (RIL), Sateesh Seth and others in a special court in New Delhi.
About Rs 187 crore in public funds was allegedly siphoned from four NHAI toll-road projects - Trichy-Karur, Trichy-Dindigul, Salem-Ulundurpet and Jaipur-Reengus - during September-October 2010.
The money is said to have moved from RIL and its project special purpose vehicles and EPC contractors to construction contractors and then to shell entities with no connection to road construction.
The ED provisionally attached assets worth Rs 187 crore on August 3, including Reliance Power Limited equity shares held by RIL and land held by Ksheeraabd Constructions Private Limited.
Sateesh Seth was arrested on June 12 and is in judicial custody; the probe stemmed from a February 11, 2026 FIR registered by the Economic Offences Wing, Mumbai.
- Who
- The Directorate of Enforcement (ED), which filed a prosecution complaint against Reliance Infrastructure Limited, Sateesh Seth and others.
- What
- A money-laundering prosecution complaint alleging the diversion of about Rs 187 crore of public funds from four NHAI highway projects through shell entities and fictitious sub-contracting.
- Where
- A special court in New Delhi; the projects were located along highways in Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan, including Trichy, Karur, Dindigul, Salem, Ulundurpet, Jaipur and Reengus.
- When
- The complaint was filed on Saturday and the agency's statement was issued on Sunday; the alleged siphoning occurred during September-October 2010.
- Why
- To prosecute an alleged organized scheme that diverted public funds from NHAI-financed toll-road projects using sham and back-dated arrangements.
Key facts
- Prosecuting agency
- Directorate of Enforcement (ED)
- Accused
- Reliance Infrastructure Ltd, Sateesh Seth and others
- Amount diverted
- Approximately Rs 187 crore
- Statute invoked
- Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), Sections 3 and 4
- Projects affected
- Four NHAI toll-road projects: Trichy-Karur, Trichy-Dindigul, Salem-Ulundurpet, Jaipur-Reengus
- Period of alleged siphoning
- September-October 2010
- Assets attached
- Rs 187 crore, including Reliance Power Limited shares and Ksheeraabd Constructions land
- Arrest
- Sateesh Seth arrested on June 12, in judicial custody
Sources
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