#PNBScam : MEA clarifies Nirav Modi was at Davos in his personal capacity; did not meet PM

New Delhi, February 16: The Punjab National Bank scammer and billionaire diamond jeweller Nirav Modi was neither a part of the official delegation that India led to the Davos 2018 Summit nor he met Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This was said by the Ministry of External Affairs on Friday, hours after it suspended passport of Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi.

 

Notably, the clarification from Ministry of External Affairs comes a day after Congress party criticized PM Modi over the PNB fraud and shared the photo at a press conference and alleged that Nirav Modi held clout with the Prime Minister.

The MEA taking a cognizance clarified saying, “Nirav Modi was neither a part of the official delegation that India led to the Davos 2018 Summit nor was there a meeting with the PM and this gentleman." "It was an impromptu photo op," MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said, referring to the Davos summit photo in which PM Modi is seen with a number of business leaders, including Nirav Modi.

Earlier, in the day, taking a step forward in the Rs 11,378.68 Crores Punjab National Bank scam, the Ministry of External Affairs has suspended the passports of diamond merchant Nirav Modi and Gitanjali Gems owner Mehul Choksi for four weeks.

Meanwhile, the Central Bureau of Investigation approached the Interpol to locate billionaire jewellery designer Nirav Modi and his family who had left the country in the first week of January, weeks before the scam was reported to the agency.

The Enforcement Directorate also raided 17 premises across the country related to Jeweller Nirav Modi and Geetanjali Gems. The ED also seized jewellery worth Rs 5,100 crores, in gold, diamond and other precious stones while raiding Nirav Modi's showrooms.

Punjab National Bank had detected a 1.77 billion dollar scam in which Nirav Modi acquired fraudulent letters of undertaking from one of its branches for overseas credit from other Indian lenders. PNB has suspended 10 officers in this scam and referred the matter to CBI for investigation.

However, the Government has made it clear that none will be spared and that effort is on to revoke Nirav Modi's passport. Union Minister and senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said the Government will take strict action against those found guilty in connection with Punjab National Bank fraud case.

Briefing reporters, he asserted that nobody will be spared irrespective of their status or stature, who sought to derail banking system to help Nirav Modi. Prasad said, not a single loan has been given by the NDA government during its rule, which turned into Non-Performing Asset(NPA). He said all the NPAs are related to the previous UPA rule.

Importantly, Nirav Modi and his brother Nishal Modi left the country on 1st of January this year. Nirav Modi's wife, an American citizen, left India on 6 January while Mehul Choksi left the country on 4 January. CBI received a complaint from PNB on 29th Jan 2018and registered the case on 31st January.