The warrants come after Mehul Choksi and Nirav Modi did not join the CBI’s investigation after the agency sent emails to the duo.
A SPECIAL CBI court in Mumbai has issued Non Bailable Warrant (NBW)s against diamantaire Nirav Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi in connection with cases related to the Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam. The warrants come after Modi and Choksi did not join the CBI’s investigation after the agency sent emails to the duo.
A CBI official said they are questioning officers of overseas branches of Indian banks that extended alleged credit facilities on the basis of Letters of Understanding (LoUs) issued by PNB to firms affiliated to Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi. The officer who dealt with Forex transactions in Allahabad Bank, Hong Kong branch, has been summoned from Hong Kong and is being questioned, a CBI official said.
The uncle-nephew duo had managed to flee the country in the first week of January, just days before the PNB was able to detect the fraud. Modi was booked by the CBI, along with his wife, brother and Choksi for allegedly cheating the state-run PNB.
The CBI can now approach the Interpol for a Red Corner Notice (RCN) to be issued in case the duo do not cooperate.