PNB scam: ED arrests Mehul Choksi's close associate from Kolkata

The Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday arrested Mehul Choksi's close associate Deepak Kulkarni from Kolkata. Kulkarni was arrested after he landed in Kolkata from Hong Kong. 

Deepak Kulkarni was the director of Choksi’s dummy firm in Hong Kong. A look out circular was issued against him by ED and CBI earlier. 

Last month ED seized assets worth over Rs 218 crore in the nearly Rs 13,000 crore loan fraud case probe, officials said.

Deepak Kulkarni, an associate of #MehulChoksi has been arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in Kolkata after he landed at the airport from Hong Kong. Kulkarni was the director of Choksi’s dummy firm in Hong Kong. A Look Out Circular was issued against him by ED and CBI earlier pic.twitter.com/ENR8NIVeCL

— ANI (@ANI) November 6, 2018

They said three provisional orders under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) were issued by the central investigative agency's zonal office in Mumbai for attachment of the properties in India and abroad.

The beneficiaries of these assets put under attachment, they said, are absconding diamond jeweller Mehul Choksi, Mihir Bhansali, a close aide and US-based executive of main accused in the case Nirav Modi, and a company named AP Gems and Jewellery Park.

The total value of the attached and seized assets is Rs 218.46 crore, they said.

The ED is probing this case along with the CBI where it is alleged that Nirav Modi and Choksi defrauded the Brady House branch of the Punjab National Bank (PNB) in Mumbai to the tune of about USD 2 billion (over Rs 13,000 crore) in alleged connivance with officials.

While Choksi has been last reported to be in the Caribbean nation of Antigua and Barbuda, the Interpol (global police) has recently issued a red corner notice against Bhansali in this case.

Meanwhile, the request for extradition of fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi is being "examined" by Antigua and Barbuda, the Ministry of External Affairs said Thursday.

Answering a question on Choksi, MEA Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar at a briefing said, "According to the information that I have, the extradition request by the CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) and the ED (Enforcement Directorate), is being examined by them (Antigua and Barbuda authorities) and after they have examined it, they have said they will convey their response to India."