Nirav Modi travelled to multiple countries on revoked, fake passports: Reports

Celebrity jeweller Nirav Modi, who is wanted for Rs. 13,000-crore bank fraud in India is believed to be in Brusselsafter his passport was revoked. Reportssay that Modi entered the UK on his original passport which was then revoked in February and has been travelling either on multiple passports or these countries were not informed of the case by the MEA - who have been letting him in. The exact information has not been revealed.

Regardless of any of these developments, Modi travelled between the United States, the United Kingdom and Hong Kong on his Indian passport between 15 March and 31 March, reports say.

Reports further inform that Nirav Modi fled India on January 1, and was then seen in a group photograph with Narendra Modi during World Economic Forum from January 23 to 26.

Officials of the Enforcement Directorate, which is conducting the investigation against the diamantaire and his associates, had initially said he had travelled to UK on a passport issued by Singapore.

On Thursday,India's premier investigating agency the Central Bureau of Investigation(CBI)requested the Interpol to issue a Red Corner Notice(RCN) against Nirav Modi's brother Nishal Modi and his company executive Suresh Shankar.

CBI sources said theUK has shared certain details of movement of fugitives, including Nirav Modi with the agency.

Also, a senior Indian official told PTIthat India has been informed by the UK'sCrown Prosecution Service (CPS) that it can initiate extradition proceedings againstNirav Modi. The Enforcement Directorate(ED) had earlier filed a chargesheet against Nirav Modi and his associates at a special court in Mumbai. The charge sheet has been filed under various sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

On February 24, the MEA revoked the passports of Nirav and his maternal uncle Mehul Choksi, promoter of Gitanjali Group, after they failed to respond to a February 16 notice issued by the Ministry, asking them to show-cause why their passports should not be impounded or revoked.

Meanwhile, the Congress on Thursday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of protecting Nirav Modi in the Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud case and sought a reply from Ministry of External Affairs on the absconding diamantaire's travel spree using a revoked passport.