Mumbai/New Delhi: It's not just billionaire jeweller Nirav Modi, his wife Ami Modi, his brother Nishal Modi, and his maternal uncle Mehul Choksi have left the country, days before Punjab National Bank's multi-crore fraud case came to light.
According to Central investigating agencies, even other former directors of Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi companies have also ran way from the country. These directors had resigned well on time in last year itself before the case was registered in January 2018.
One of the senior executives of Nirav Modi-Mehul Choksi firms, Mihir Bhanshali had resigned in 2012. His security guard at his Mumbai residence told Zee Media that Bhanshali and his family members have left the country about 20 days ago.
This is not the first time that Bhanshali is under scanner from Central investigating agencies, six months ago Income Tax Department had raided his house.
This came to light after Billionaire jeweller Nirav Modi, involved in Punjab National Bank's Rs 11,400 crore fraud case left the country on January 1 this year, much before the first complaint reached CBI.
Also, Nirav Modi's wife Ami, an American citizen, left India on January 6, his maternal uncle Mehul Choksi left the country on January 4 and his brother Nishal Modi, a Belgian citizen, left India on January 1. The CBI had issued lookout circulars against all accused on January 31.
On February 15, Punjab National Bank's MD and CEO Sunil Mehta said that the fraud was detected on January 25th and was reported to the investigative agencies, including the Central Bureau of Investigation on January 29th.
(With inputs from Rakesh Trivedi)
