The CBI on Saturday questioned two top officials of the Punjab National Bank (PNB) in connection with the alleged ₹11,500 crore fraud.
Senior CBI officers confirmed that Chief Managing Director S. Mehta and Executive Director Brahmaji Rao were questioned. “Both officials were called in for questioning and they came to the Mumbai office on Saturday,” an officer said.
“We are quizzing them regarding the LoU process, the checks and balances in the system to prevent malpractices and the enforcement of these measures,” the officer said.
On January 31, the CBI registered a case against two officials of the bank, besides diamond trader Nirav Modi, his wife Ami, brother Nishal and uncle Mehul Choksi, and has been probing the matter since then. The CBI has so far arrested 14 accused, including six officials with the bank.
The CBI had earlier this week arrested Rajesh Jindal, a General Manager with the PNB, who was posted with the Brady House branch of the bank in Mumbai when the fraudulent LoUs were issued. The other bank officials arrested so far include retired Deputy Manager Gokulnath Shetty, Single Window Operator Manoj Kharat, Chief Manager Bechhu Tiwari, Manager Yashwant Joshi and Export Officer Praful Sawant.
