Govt revokes Nirav Modi's passport

The Ministry of External Affairs has revoked the passport of fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi, the main accused in the USD two billion Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud and money laundering case, and it has no means to verify his travels, if any, Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan told the Lok Sabha here on Wednesday.

In a reply to a question in the Lok Sabha, Muraleedharan said, "Ministry revoked the passport of Nirav Modi as per provisions of Section 10(3)(c) of The Passports Act,1967, on February 23, 2018."

"The Ministry has no means to verify the travels, if any, of Nirav Modi and passport used for such travels by him," he added.

Last week, Pune's Debt Recovery Tribunal (DRT) passed an order asking fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi and his aides to pay Rs 7300 crore with interest to Punjab National Bank (PNB).

The order was passed by presiding officer/judge Deepak Thakkar in two cases registered by PNB in Mumbai.

The development comes less than a week after the Singapore High Court ordered the freezing of a bank account belonging Modi's sister and brother-in-law.

The diamantaire was arrested on March 19 by Scotland Yard in connection with the USD two billion Punjab National Court (PNB) loan default case.

India is seeking Modi's extradition to make him face the law of the land for allegedly committing economic offences like fraud and money laundering.

Modi is lodged at Wandsworth prison in south-west London.