Watch: Hong Kong refuses to comment on Nirav Modi's whereabouts

In response to WION's query on Nirav Modi's whereabouts, Hong Kong's Department of Justice said, 'the Department of Justice does not comment on individual cases.'

WION had raised a query to Hong Kong's justice department regarding Nirav Modi's extradition which was met with a reply that no comments will be made on individual cases.

China, earlier this month, said Hong Kong was free to accept India's request to arrest Modi on the basis of the local laws of the region and judicial agreements between the two.

While Hong Kong is part of the People's Republic of China, it is an autonomous region with its own laws.

A provisional arrest has to be made before a formal extradition can be requested.

Meanwhile, Nirav Modi's presence in Hong Kong has been confirmed. In a written reply to the Parliament, it was stated that India had approached the Hong Kong authorities on March 23 regarding Nirav Modi's provisional arrest.

Besides this, the Punjab National Bank has approached Hong Kong Court against Nirav Modi after moving the insolvency authority in the US.

The bank plans to approach other jurisdictions where Nirav Modi and his associates have assets and properties as part of recovery process, a senior PNB official said.

Hong Kong authorities have been approached and a recovery writ has been filed against companies of Nirav Modi, the official said without disclosing other details.

Billionaire jeweller Nirav Modi figures at the centre of an Rs 13,000-crore fraud.

Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi, in connivance with certain bank officials, allegedly cheated PNB of over Rs13,000 crore through fraudulent Letters of Undertaking (LoUs).

(With inputs from PTI)