New Delhi: A Delhi court has granted the Enforcement Directorate (ED) six days of custodial interrogation of Sateesh Seth, former Group Managing Director of the Reliance Anil Ambani Group (RAAG), in connection with an alleged money laundering investigation involving the diversion of funds through overseas channels.
The order was passed by the Dwarka Court, which observed that custodial questioning was necessary to trace the beneficiaries of the alleged proceeds of crime and uncover the complete money trail linked to the case.
According to the ED, Seth was arrested following an investigation into allegations that funds were siphoned abroad through hawala transactions using fabricated invoices and inflated diamond import bills. The agency believes the transactions formed part of a larger financial network designed to move money outside the country.
The probe, initiated under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), centres around alleged irregularities connected with two National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) road projects—the Jaipur-Reengus Toll Road and the Trichy-Karur Toll Road.
Investigators claim that Reliance Infrastructure Limited (RIL) emerged as a major beneficiary in the alleged scheme, which reportedly involved the use of shell companies to divert funds. The ED has alleged that nearly Rs 92 crore was transferred overseas through this mechanism.
The agency maintains that multiple fictitious entities were allegedly created to facilitate the movement of funds, making it difficult to identify the final recipients without detailed custodial interrogation.
During the court proceedings, the ED argued that further questioning of the accused was essential to establish the full extent of the financial network, identify additional individuals involved and trace the international flow of money.
The case is part of an ongoing investigation into suspected financial irregularities and alleged laundering of public funds associated with infrastructure projects. Authorities have indicated that further action may follow based on evidence gathered during the custody period.
The allegations remain under investigation, and the accused will have the opportunity to present his defence during the course of legal proceedings.
