Lightning speed of action shows my fate was already decided: Nirav Modi writes to ED
Nirav Modi had earlier claimed that the liability of his group is substantially less than Rs 11,000 crore
Diamond merchant Nirav Modi, in a letter to Enforcement Directorate (ED), has claimed that the speeding course of action by authorities in the Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud case shoes that his fate was pre-determined.
Nirav Modi, Mehul Choksi, and others are being investigated by multiple probe agencies after it came to light, following a complaint by the Punjab National Bank (PNB), that they allegedly cheated the bank with the purported involvement of a few bank employees.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the ED have registered two FIRs each in connection with the case.
The agencies have also attached properties worth thousands of crores and froze accounts associated with the duo and their respective firms. Even their passports have been revoked.
Now, in an email to ED, Nirav Modi alleged that the agencies are working hand in glove to make him look guilty.
“Passport authority suspended my passport. Meanwhile, you (ED) asked me to join the probe. Wrote to Passport authority requesting it to provide me reasons for suspension and proposed revocation. Surprisingly, within minutes of my reply, authorities revoked my passport,” he wrote.
He also claimed that the lightning speed with which the probe has progressed shows that the action against him was pre-determined.
“The lightning speed in which the authority has acted clearly shows that the action itself was pre-determined and my fate was already decided, without even considering my reply and without any regard to law,” the letter stated.
The lightning speed in which the authority has acted clearly shows that the action itself was pre-determined & my fate was already decided, without even considering my reply and without any regard to law: #NiravModi in an e-mail to ED #PNBScam
— ANI (@ANI) March 3, 2018
“Still working abroad as I continue to be very engaged in trying to deal with businesses that I am involved with outside of India. Trying to ensure that so far as possible the position of these business creditors (including banks) and employees are properly considered,” it added.
Earlier today, special court in Mumbai on Saturday issued a non-bailable warrant (NBW) against Nirav Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi in connection with the fraud.
The NBW was issued after ED had approached the special court, set up under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, to get non-bailable warrants issued against the two businessmen after they failed to adequately respond to the summons.
Nirav’s lawyer has stated that they will challenge the order in Bombay High Court.
“We are considering to challenge the order in HC on behalf of Nirav Modi. But final decision shall be taken only upon seeing the order. We have not even been given a copy of the application that ED filed,” his advocate told ANI.
Nirav along with his wife Ami, brother Neeshal and Choksi left India in the first week of January before PNB disclosed the fraud.
On February 20, Nirav had written to PNB and alleged that bank’s over-zealousness shut the doors on his ability to clear the dues, which he claimed were much lower than what the bank has gone public with.
