PNB scam: Interpol issues red corner against Nirav's sister Purvi Modi

Interpol has issued a red corner notice (RCN) against Purvi Deepak Modi, sister of fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi who is wanted in the Rs 135 billion Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud case, officials said on Monday.

According to the Enforcement Directorate (ED), the Interpol issued the RCN against Purvi Modi on the charge of money laundering, as requested by it.

In August, a special court in Mumbai had issued public summons to Nirav Modi's sister Purvi and brother Neeshal, who are Belgian citizens, to appear before it on September 25. The court also said that if they fail to appear then their properties would be confiscated under the newly enacted fugitive offenders act.

According to ED officials, Purvi Modi and other family members of Nirav Modi were the recipients of the proceeds of the crime.

Last week, Interpol issued an RCN against Nirav Modi's close aide Mihir Bhansali in connection with the case.

Bhansali, who was an executive in Nirav Modi's Firestar International firm, is absconding since the probe started in the alleged $2 billion PNB fraud case.

The RCN is issued to seek the location and arrest of the wanted person(s) with a view to initiate extradition or similar lawful action.

The ED wants to question Purvi Modi and Bhansali to unearth further details of the fraud committed by Nirav Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi of the Gitanjali group to cheat the Mumbai-based PNB's Brady House branch.

The Interpol, in its notice, requested its 192 member countries to arrest or detain Bhansali so that his extradition process could begin.

The Interpol has issued a similar notice against Nirav Modi, who as well as his family and uncle Choksi left the country in January, a month before the fraud came to light.

The notice mentions Bhansali's birthplace Mumbai and gives his date of birth as November 15, 1977.

Purvi Modi's photo is also pasted on the notice.