PNB Fraud: CBI blames Interpol for not sharing Nirav Modi's movements

Even though the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) was depending on the Interpol to know the whereabouts about Nirav Modi after revoking his passport, the fugitive billionaire jeweller kept travelling fearlessly on the same passport from one country to another. When the reports of his movement came to light, the CBI swiftly shifted blame to the member countries of Interpol for not informing them about Nirav Modi's whereabouts, who is now believed to be in Brussels, Belgium.

Modi, the main accused in the Rs 13,000 crore Punjab National Bank fraud case, travelled on the revoked Indian passport as recently as June 12.

The agency says that it had written to Interpol offices in the UK, US, France, UAE, Belgium, and Singapore five times since February 15 and informed about the revocation of his passport, yet these Interpol countries didn't inform them about Nirav's movements.

"UK Interpol should have informed India Interpol when he travelled from London to Belgium," the CBI said.

The agency further stated that the data on diffusion notice, issued on February 15, and revocation of Nirav Modi's passport by India, is available in the central database of Interpol internationally. "We had issued diffusion notice against Modi on Feb 15 and followed it up with six countries where we thought he will be visiting or residing; we received a reply from UK Interpol saying he left the UK on March 31 with details of movements to and from the UK," said a CBI official, justifying their dependence on the Interpol.

However, Modi kept on travelling while the CBI kept waiting for emails, phone calls, or letters from Interpol member countries.

The Interpol, in a June 5 letter to the CBI, said Nirav Modi travelled between United States, United Kingdom, and Hong Kong on his Indian passport between March 15 and March 31. According to them, he travelled four times on that passport on March 15, March 28, March 30, and March 31.

The Ministry of External Affairs revoked the passports of the jeweller and his maternal uncle Mehul Choksi, promoter of the Gitanjali Group, on February 24, after they failed to respond to a February 16 notice issued by the ministry.

Now, the agency is waiting to see the progress of the request made to the Interpol to issue a Red Corner Notice (RCN) against the absconding billionaire so that they can get his exact location and initiate the extradition proceedings.