Government Writes To 3 Countries To Help Track Down Nirav Modi: Report

New Delhi:

India has asked UK, France and Belgium to help track down fugitive jeweler Nirav Modi and restrict his movements. The foreign ministry has written to the countries and the Indian missions have passed on a diplomatic note to those governments, news agency ANI has said quoting sources.

The foreign ministry reportedly wrote to them last week.

This is not the first time that India has made such a request to the three countries.

A special court in Mumbai on Tuesday allowed investigating agencies to start the process of Nirav Modi's extradition from the UK over charges of money laundering.

The Enforcement Directorate had asked for the court's permission to seek the extradition of the billionaire accused of a massive swindle worth Rs 13,000 crore, involving fake guarantees issued in the name of the Punjab National Bank (PNB) - the second largest government bank - to secure overseas bank loans.

Investigators believe Nirav Modi is in the UK and is claiming political asylum.

Nirav Modi and his uncle-cum-business-partner Mehul Choksi, also accused in the PNB fraud, fled India in January, weeks before the CBI launched investigations into the charges.

Nirav Modi managed to travel through several countries even though information about his passport being cancelled by India was flashed in the Interpol central database on February 24, according to the CBI.

According to the UK, Nirav Modi used the passport to fly from New York to London on February 10, from Hong Kong to London on February 15, from London to Hog Kong on March 15, from New York to London on March 28 and from London to Paris on March 31.

The CBI said it had shared the information on his passport in a notice issued through Interpol on February 15. But Interpol branches of Belgium and US didn't cooperate.

(With Inputs From ANI)