New Delhi, Dec 10 (PTI) The ED on Wednesday said it has seized over a dozen bank accounts, holding about Rs 55 crore worth deposits, of Anil Ambani Group company Reliance Infrastructure as part of a FEMA investigation.

It alleged that Reliance Infrastructure Ltd (R-Infra), through its special purpose vehicles (SPVs), siphoned public funds from highway construction projects awarded by the NHAI and sent them abroad illegally.

There was no immediate comment from R-Infra on the development.

The ED has seized 13 bank accounts having a balance of Rs 54.82 crore of Reliance Infrastructure Ltd. for "contravention" of the the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), the federal probe agency said in a statement .

Funds were "diverted" under the guise of "sham" sub-contracting arrangements to "shell" companies in Mumbai, it said.

The ED had summoned Ambani for questioning in this case last month but he did not depose. PTI NES ZMN

Reliance Infrastructure accounts seized over alleged FEMA violations and diversion of project funds abroad via shell companies. The enforcement agency seized 13 bank accounts of Reliance Infrastructure Ltd holding Rs 54.82 crore for alleged contravention of FEMA, asserting that R Infra and its SPVs diverted funds from NHAI highway contracts through sham sub contracting arrangements and transfers to shell companies abroad; a summoned corporate principal did not depose.