Closely monitoring legal proceedings against Mehul Choksi and Nirav Modi, says India

Mehul Choksi and Nirav Modi are accused of colluding with officials at the Punjab National Bank for the issuance of fraudulent lines of credit.

File Photos of Mehul Choksi (R) and Nirav Modi

New Delhi: India on Friday (July 2, 2021) said that it is closely monitoring legal proceedings against fugitive businessmen Mehul Choksi and Nirav Modi.

On being when asked about the latest update on Mehul and Nirav, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) official spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, "We are of course closely monitoring the ongoing legal proceedings in both cases."

The statement comes amid reports of the Dominican Prime Minister rubbishing the claim of his government's involvement in the alleged abduction of Mehul Choksi. 

Choksi is currently facing trial in Dominica and had gone missing from Antigua on May 23. He was later caught in Dominica and was charged with illegal entry into the Caribbean island nation by police after he allegedly fled Antigua and Barbuda in a possible attempt to avoid extradition to India. The 62-year-old fugitive, notably, is wanted in India in connection with the Rs 13,500 crore fraud in Punjab National Bank.

On the other hand, Nirav Modi is currently held at Wandsworth prison in South London where he has been lodged since his arrest in London in March 2019 in connection with the largest bank fraud perpetrated in India.

Last week, the UK High Court had rejected a plea by Nirav Modi against his extradition to India to face charges of defrauding Punjab National Bank (PNB) of more than Rs 13,000 crore.

The 50-year-old along with his uncle Mehul Choksi are accused of colluding with officials at PNB for the issuance of fraudulent lines of credit. Nirav Modi is also accused of subsequently intimidating witnesses and tampering with evidence. 

Meanwhile, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday transferred seized assets worth Rs 9,371.17 crore in cases related to Nirav Modi, Mehul Choksi and Vijay Mallya to the public sector banks and the central government. 

The ED has so far seized assets worth Rs 18,170.02 crore. 

(With agency inputs)