ED brings back Rs 1,350-cr worth diamonds, pearls from Nirav Modi, Choksi

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday brought back over 2,300 kg of polished diamonds and pearls worth Rs 1,350 crore of firms belonging to Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi from Hong Kong, officials said.

Out of the 108 consignments that landed at Mumbai, 32 belong to overseas entities "controlled" by Modi while the rest are of Mehul Choksi firms.

Both the businessmen are being probed by the ED under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in connection with an over $2 billion alleged bank fraud at a PNB branch in Mumbai.

The valuables include polished diamonds, pearls, and silver jewellery, and is worth Rs 1,350 crore.

The ED completed "all legal formalities" with authorities in Hong Kong to bring back these valuables, the agency said. These will formally seized under the PMLA now, it said.