Mumbai: A special court here Friday issued a non-bailable warrant (NBW) against the wife of fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi, a key accused in the USD 2 billion Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud case. The warrant against Ami Modi was issued by Special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) Judge M S Azmi after he took cognisance of the supplementary chargesheet filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) against Nirav Modi (48) and other accused a few days ago.
The financial crime probe agency has alleged that Ami Modi used an international bank account to move USD 30 million, suspected to be proceeds of the scam. The funds were used to buy property located in New York’s Central Park, the ED has said.
In its supplementary chargesheet, the agency has recorded additional evidences gathered in the case and attachments made.
It is understood that the ED has underlined the role of Ami Modi and funds routed by her in the supplementary chargesheet.
The ED had filed the first chargesheet in this case in May last year. According to investigating agencies, Nirav Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi, in connivance with certain bank officials, allegedly cheated PNB to the tune of Rs 14,000 crore through issuance of fraudulent Letters of Undertaking (LoUs).
These LoUs were allegedly issued in a fraudulent manner by a Mumbai branch of the PNB to the group of companies belonging to Nirav Modi since March 2011 till the fraud came to light in January 2018, the agencies have said.
Nirav Modi, Choksi and other accused are facing charges under the PMLA Act and the Indian Penal Code in the fraud case which is being probed by multiple agencies, including the ED. According to a UK media report last week, Nirav Modi is currently living in a three-bedroom flat occupying half of a floor of the landmark Centre Point tower block in London, where rent is estimated to cost 17,000 pounds a month.