Anil Ambani has proposed to settle bank dues amid RCom probe.
Ambani proposed holding direct discussions with the lender banks as a first step toward repayment.
This comes as CBI and ED intensified the investigation into alleged loan diversion.
Reliance Group Chairman Anil Ambani has proposed a "staggered" repayment plan to settle dues owed to banks in connection with the Reliance Communications (RCom) fraud case, Bloomberg reported.
The offer comes at a time when the Supreme Court has expressed sharp displeasure over the slow pace of investigations into Ambani and his assets, calling the reluctance shown by the CBI and the ED "unacceptable."
2 March 2026
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Through his lawyer, Mukul Rohatgi, Ambani proposed holding direct discussions with the lender banks as a first step toward repayment. However, Rohatgi told the court that banks have been unwilling to engage because of the ongoing probe. The Chief Justice of India, who headed the bench, responded by clarifying that the court has not barred anyone from holding such talks.
The Solicitor General of India, appearing on behalf of the federal investigative agencies, pushed back against the proposal, arguing that repayment alone is not an adequate resolution to a criminal case.
The apex court reviewed the investigation's progress and scheduled the next hearing four weeks from now. It had previously flagged that both the ED and CBI had been slow-moving in their probes, and directed them to periodically update the court on their progress, while expecting a fair investigation going forward.
The ED launched its probe following a CBI FIR that named Anil Ambani, RCom, and others on charges of fraud, criminal conspiracy, and corruption. The investigation centres on RCom and its affiliates, which borrowed over ₹40,000 crore from domestic and foreign banks between 2010 and 2012. Five of these loan accounts have since been declared fraudulent by the concerned banks.
The probe was initiated on a complaint filed by the State Bank of India and its scope was later expanded to include similar complaints from Bank of Maharashtra, Bank of Baroda, and Bank of India, as noted by the Supreme Court in the CBI's status report.
