Mumbai (Maharashtra), July 26: Nirav Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi who were accused of defrauding Punjab National Bank for around USD 2 billion with the help of some employees of the bank, summoned by a Mumbai based Special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court.
On Thursday, the special court asked the abscond accused to appear in front of them in September and informed that the same will not happen that they will be declared Fugitive Economic Offenders under Fugitive Economic Offenders Ordinance, 2018. Diamantaire Modi summoned for September 25 whereas Choksi was asked to appear on September 26.
Notably, the summon came into the effect due to the two separate applications filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) earlier this month under the Fugitive Economic Offenders Ordinance, 2018. ED then also sought permission to forfeit the moveable and immovable assets of the accused in India, United Kingdom, and the United Arab Emirates that worth around Rs 3,500 crore.
Worthy to mention that Choksi, earlier in the month, under Section 70(2) of Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) submitted an application to the special courts to appeal for the cancellation of the non- bailable warrant.
He claimed that he is a 'law-abiding citizen' and "never shied away from the investigation or the investigating agencies and duly responded to all the communications received by him from the investigating agencies." He stated that he moved to the foreign nation to seek treatment of his ill health.
He took the advantages of mob lynching incidents that are occurring in India and said that if he will visit India that the angry customers, creditors, landlords of premises, or anyone who lends him one or other thing will kill him.
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