New Delhi: India has received a reply from Britain in response to a “diffusion notice” issued against Nirav Modi, who is accused in the Rs 13,500 crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) loan fraud case being investigated here but it remained unclear whether it contained any reference to the specific location of the fugitive diamantaire.
After getting the diffusion notice issued through the Interpol channel on February 15, the CBI proactively pursued it with the NCBs (National Central Bureau) of individual countries likely to be visited by the accused fugitives reiterating the confirmation of their locations. The UK has shared certain details of moments of the fugitives, the sources said requesting anonymity.
They said “the details received from Britain authorities in response to the diffusion notice have been shared with other sister agencies in foreign countries”. Further investigation and action in this regard is in progress,” they said.
Letters Rogatory (LRs) in the cases lodged against Nirav by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), the CBI and the Income Tax Department were sent to the UK Central Authority (UKCA) on March 19, April 14 and April 15 respectively.
In its chargesheets filed last month, the CBI alleged that Nirav Modi, through his companies, siphoned off funds to the tune of Rs 6,498.20 crore using fraudulent LoUs issued from PNB’s Brady House branch in Mumbai. Choksi swindled Rs 7,080.86 crore, making it possibly the biggest banking scam in the country, it alleged.
An additional loan default of over Rs 5,000 crore by Choksi’s companies is also a matter of probe under the CBI.