Look for jobs, I can’t pay you: Nirav writes to staff
NEW DELHI: Disgraced diamond czar Nirav Modi on Tuesday wrote an email to his employees in India saying they should look for other jobs because he will not be able to pay them, what with investigative agencies seizing the stock of all his companies and the income-tax department freezing their bank accounts. ‘The near future is uncertain,” he wrote in the email, which has been seen by HT.
A person associated with Modi’s legal team claimed the email is authentic.
Modi is also believed to have written, or be writing to the Enforcement Directorate, CBI and the ministry of external affairs, which has suspended his passport.
Following the registration of two FIRS against Nirav Modi, his maternal uncle Mehul Choksi, and their companies by the Central Bureau of Investigation on charges of defrauding Punjab National Bank of ₹11,400 crore, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) started probing the money laundering aspect of the case and has so far seized gems, gold and other precious stones worth more than ₹5,700 crore from companies and stores of the two.
Referring to the seizure by the ED, Modi, who left India on January 1 for an unknown destination, told his employees: “As of now, because of seizure and removal of all stocks in factories and showrooms, and freezing of bank accounts, we shall not be in a position to pay your dues, and it would be right on your part to look for other career opportunities.”
Nirav began the email by saying that in view of the recent complaint filed by PNB accusing him of committing fraud, “our organization is suffering”.
“I am also concerned at the speed with which events are moving which make me concerned about fairness of the processes that are being followed,” he added, singling out the media and politicians for special censure.