Nirav Modi, the diamond merchant who faces serious allegations in the ₹1,400-crore Punjab National Bank fraudulent transactions case, wrote to the Enforcement Directorate expressing inability to join the probe on Thursday. The agency has asked him to appear on Friday.
Replying to the ED summons seeking his personal appearance before the investigating team on Thursday, Mr. Modi wrote an email to the agency and said he was unable to come back to India as his passport had been suspended. He, however, did not disclose his current whereabouts.
Mr. Modi, in the email, also claimed that he was busy in some business work and that he had been trying to set things right as regards the pending repayment of funds to banks, said an official.
However, it is learnt, the agency responded to the email asking Mr. Modi to approach the nearest Indian Embassy for an emergency certificate (one-way travel document) to come back to India. Accordingly, he has been told to join the investigation.
The Directorate has also summoned Mr. Modi’s uncle and co-accused Mehul Choksi, against whom two cases have been registered in connection with the PNB fraudulent transactions. Mr. Choksi’s passport has also been suspended by the External Affairs Ministry.
In a fresh email to Mr. Modi, the MEA has sought an acknowledgement of the show-cause notice seeking explanation from him as to why his passport not be revoked.
