Nirav's son seeks stay on seizure of 'his' assets

Fugitive diamantiare Nirav Modi's son Rohin on Monday urged the Bombay High Court to stay the confiscation of the properties attached by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) connected with the multi-crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam.

A bench of Justices Sadhana Jadhav and Nizamoodin Jamadar is likely to pass an order on August 13.

The bench was dealing with a petition filed by Rohin, who has claimed some of the numerous movable and immovable properties in India and overseas belong to him. He claimed that not all the properties have been purchased by his father Nirav Modi.

Notably, the ED has started attaching Modi's assets, which include houses and other movable and immovable properties in India, the United Kingdom (UK) and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Anil Singh, appearing for the ED, argued that all the properties were purchased from the proceeds of crime. He admitted that a few of them did belong to Rohin; however, these properties too had been purchased either by Nirav or his wife Ami Modi - both accused in the multi-crore scam.

However, Rohin, through his counsel Lakshyavedh Odhekar, refuted the contention, saying that neither of his parents had purchased the properties owned by him. He pointed out that these properties were solely owned by him and he himself had purchased these properties.

Having heard the contentions, Justice Jadhav sought from both ED as well as Rohin, the list of all these properties.

The bench is likely to pass its orders on August 13.