PNB case: NBWs against Nirav, Choksi
MUMBAI: A special court on Saturday issued non-bailable warrants (NBWs) against diamond merchant Nirav Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi, promoter of Gitanjali Gems, in the ₹12,636crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud case.
The NBWs were issued by the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court based on an application moved by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), one of the agencies investigating the case. The warrants will now be executed through the ministry of external affairs (MEA), as both Modi and Choski are currently not in India. It will then be sent to various countries to get the duo extradited.
The agency will wait for 30 days, which is mandatory under the law, before seeking proclamation against Modi and Choksi from the court.
The ED had earlier issued summonses to Modi and Choksi, asking them to appear before the central agency. The two diamond traders, however, failed to appear before the ED, promoting the agency to move the PMLA court for issuance of NBWs.
The first summons was issued on February 15, to which they responded on February 16 expressing their inability to appear before the ED.
The second and third summonses were issued on February 17 and February 23, asking them to appear on February 22 and 27, respectively. However, the duo failed to appear on both occasion, thus prompting the agency to seek NBWs against them.
Meanwhile, Vijay Aggarwal, Nirav Modi’s lawyer has said they are contemplating challenging the NBW in the high court.
THE AGENCY WILL WAIT FOR 30 DAYS, WHICH IS MANDATORY UNDER THE LAW, BEFORE SEEKING PROCLAMATION AGAINST MODI AND CHOKSI FROM THE COURT
“We are considering challenging the order in the high court on behalf of Nirav Modi,” Aggarwal told ANI. “But the final decision shall be taken only upon seeing the order. We have not even been given a copy of application that ED filed.”
The ED is probing separate cases against Modi and Choksi for money laundering, in connection with the PNB fraud.
Meanwhile, a special CBI court on Saturday sent six accused, arrested in connection with the fraud case, to 14 days’ judicial custody. The six include Gokulnath Shetty, the retired deputy manager of the bank’s foreign exchange department at the Brady House branch; another bank employee Manoj Kharat; Hemant Bhatt; Bechchu Tiwari; Yashwant Joshi and Praful Sawant.