Court issues a non-bailable warrant against Nirav’s wife

PMLA judge issues warrant after ED named Ami Modi accused in its latest charge sheet

MUMBAI: The special court on Friday issued a non-bailable warrant against Ami Modi, wife of fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi, in connection with the money laundering complaint filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud case.

The warrant against Ami was issued by special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) judge MS Azmi after he took cognisance of the supplementary charge sheet filed by ED against Nirav and other accused a few days ago.

ED sources had said the funds that Ami laundered were used to buy property in the plush Central Park area in New York.

The court accepted the plea to issue a non-bailable warrant against Ami, observing that she owns property worth $29.9 million in Central Park. The judge observed that she let $26 million be routed through Nirav’s sister, Purvi. The money was later used to buy properties abroad.

Meanwhile, the court issued summons to other companies, which are made accused by the investigating agency in the case. The agency claimed the Modis had established various fake

companies that were used as a platform to launder money obtained from the letters of undertaking (Lous).

These Lous were allegedly issued in a fraudulent manner by

PNB’S Brady House branch in Mumbai to the group of companies belonging to Nirav since March 2011 till the case came to light.

Nirav is currently living in a

three-bedroom apartment at the landmark Centre Point Tower block in London, UK newspaper The Daily Telegraph reported last week, with a video of a different-looking Nirav.