Court Issues Public Notices To Nirav Modi, Siblings Under Fugitive Economic Offenders Act 

A special Fugitive Economic Offenders Act court in Mumbai issued public summons to the sister and brother of absconding diamantaire Nirav Modi, the main accused in the $2 billion Punjab National Bank fraud case, asking them to appear before it on Sept. 25.

It said if they fail to appear, their assets will be confiscated under the newly enacted Act aimed at curbing big ticket economic crimes.

The court of MS Azmi, also the special judge for Prevention of Money Laundering Act cases in Mumbai, issued three public notices in leading dailies naming Nirav Modi's sister Purvi Modi and brother Neeshal Modi as they have been "enumerated as an interested person" in an application made under the new Act by the Enforcement Directorate against the diamond merchant.

The two have been charged by the ED to have indulged in money laundering and subsequently, escaping from India as the alleged scam came to light.

The notice against Purvi and Neeshal asks them to explain as to "why the properties mentioned in the application (filed by the ED earlier), in which you have pecuniary interest and/or otherwise, should not be confiscated under the said Ordinance (now the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act)."

The court has asked the Nirav Modi's sister Purvi Modi and brother Neeshal Modi to appear before it on Sept. 25 at 11 a.m., the same date on which Nirav has also been summoned by it under the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act.

The third public notice against Nirav Modi asked him to depose on the same date and time as it said that he is accused in a money laundering case and "as you have left India and are refusing to come back to face trial in that case, you should be declared a fugitive under the above-mentioned Ordinance (now the Act)."

The same court had on July 25 issued the summons to Nirav Modi after the ED made an application seeking to declare the designer diamond jeweller a 'fugitive economic offender'.

It had issued a similar notice of appearance under the fugitive law against Nirav Modi's uncle and co-accused in the case Mehul Choksi and had asked him to appear before it the next day-- on Sept. 26.