New Delhi, June 9: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday appealed to a special court to take cognizance of its charge sheet and issue non-bailable warrants 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.
Notably, the counsel of ED Hiten Venegaonkar appealed to special PMLA court judge Salman Azmee to take cognizance of the charge sheet and issue non-bailable warrants against billionaire jeweler Nirav Modi as well other accused persons, including his family in PNB mega scam. However, the court posted the matter for next hearing which will be held on June 12.
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.
BACKGROUND:
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.
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.
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.