#PNBScam : Non-bailable warrant issued against Nirav Modi, others

Mumbai, June 13: A special court in Mumbai on Tuesday issued a non-bailable warrant against billionaire jeweler Nirav Modi and others including his family members for their involvement in the Rs 13,000 crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam.

 

The decision comes after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) took cognizance of a charge sheet and moved special court seeking non-bailable warrants against accused persons in the mega scam. The non-bailable warrants (NBWs) were issued by Special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) judge Salman Azmee against Nirav Modi and 10 others, including his family members.

In the month of May, the central probe agency had filed a 12,000 page-charge sheet in the special court against jeweler Nirav Modi and 23 others, including his father Deepak Modi, sister Purvi Mehta, brother-in-law Maiank Mehta, brother Neeshal Modi and another relative Nehal Modi. In the charge sheet, the ED has charged all the accused under Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in PNB scam case.

Meanwhile, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) accused Punjab National Bank for failing on all fronts to check Nirav Modi-Mehul Choksi Rs 13,000 crore fraud.

The development comes nearly four months after the biggest fraudulent case hit Mumbai in the month of February where Punjab National Bank reported that it has detected fraudulent and unauthorized transactions in one of its branches in Mumbai. The cumulative fraud amounts stand to Rs 13000 crores.

After the scam was unveiled, the Enforcement Directorate and CBI registered an FIR under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act and conducted scathing raids after the surfacing of the alleged fraud by billionaire diamond trader Nirav Modi and his Mumbai-based firms Diamonds R Us, Solar Exports and Stellar Diamonds.

Recently, the ED also filed charge sheet against Nirav Modi and his several countries and many other senior bank officials for their involvement in the mega scam. The CBI sealed Brady House branch of Punjab National Bank in Mumbai from where the Rs 11,378.68 Crores PNB scam was originated.

In March, the Ministry of External Affairs confirmed that the fugitive offender Nirav Modi, who was involved in more than Rs 13,000 PNB scam is in Hong Kong. However, Indian authorities have already sought the provisional arrest of Nirav Modi to Hong Kong. MEA has also revoked the visa of Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi.

In May, taking a stern action against billionaire jeweler Nirav Modi for his involvement in the Rs 13,000 crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) attached a Rs 52.80 crore wind farm.

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.