india

Updated: Mar 09, 2019 10:28 IST

Fugitive billionaire diamantaire Nirav Modi, accused in the USD 2 billion PNB fraud case, is living openly in a swanky 8-million pound apartment in London’s West End and is now involved in a new diamond business, a British daily reported on Saturday.

Nirav Modi, 48, is currently living in a three-bedroom flat occupying half of a floor of the landmark Centre Point tower block, where rent is estimated to cost 17,000 pounds a month, The Telegraph reported.

The revelation comes a day after Modi’s 30,000 sq ft seaside mansion at Kihim beach in Maharashtra was demolished by authorities using explosives.Despite his bank accounts being frozen by the Indian authorities and an Interpol red notice being issued for his arrest, Nirav Modi, a diamond jeweller whose designs have been worn by Hollywood stars, is now involved in a new diamond business based in London, the report said.

Also Read | Nirav Modi’s seaside bungalow demolished using explosives

In a video posted by the newspaper, Nirav Modi can be seen sporting a handle-bar moustache and wearing an Ostrich Hide jacket, estimated to cost 10,000 pounds. When journalists from the paper questioned him on various issues, including whether he has urged Britain to grant him asylum, Modi ducked them by saying, “Sorry, no comments”.

A source told the the UK daily that Nirav Modi had been given a National Insurance number by the Department for Work and Pensions, meaning he can legally work in Britain, and has used British bank accounts.

(The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)