Interpol issues arrest warrant against Nirav Modi’s brother Nehal

New Delhi, Sep 13: The Interpol has issued an arrest warrant against Nehal Modi, the brother of Nirav Modi in connection with the PNB fraud case. The warrant was issued following a request made by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

This comes in the backdrop of the ED approaching a Mumbai court to extradite Nehal, the brother of Nirav Modi, the main accused in the Rs 1,400 crore fraud case. The ED accused Nehal of money laundering and destruction of evidence.

The ED believes that Nehal is in the United States. The ED sought his extradition and even moved the special Prevention of Money Laundering Act Court.

The ED alleged in its charge sheet that Nehal had attempted to influence, threaten and bribe employees, dummy directors of Nirav’s companies after the scam was busted. The ED cited a witness while stating that Nehal along with Nirav’s aide Mihir Bhansali had threatened employees to secrecy.

It was further alleged that on April 12 last year, around 12 employees were taken from Dubai to Cairo. It was here that Nehal allegedly forced them to sign false documents. The ED also said that Nehal had also allegedly bribed Ashish Lad, one of the directors of the company. It was further alleged that he had paid Rs 2 million in lieu of tendering a false testimony before judicial authorities in Europe.

He has also been accused of siphoning 50 kg gold from a Dubai based company, Firestar, which belongs to Nirav. Further, the ED also accused him of siphoning off 150 boxes of pearls from Hong Kong. He is also the director of two companies that are alleged to have received Rs 335.95 crore from two dummy companies of Nirav Modi.

The arrest warrant by the Interpol would be a major shot in the arm for the ED, which is in the process of having him extradited. The PMLA court would now pass an order and communicate the same in a sealed cover to the Ministry of External Affairs. This would, in turn, be communicated by the MEA with the authorities of the country from where he would have to be extradited.