ED To Declare Nirav Modi ‘Fugitive’ IF He Does Not Reply To Plea In One Month

There seems to be more trouble brewing for embattled diamantaire Nirav Modi. A special court has now directed Modi , a key accused in the multi-billion PNB fraud case, to file his reply on 29 October to an Enforcement Directorate (ED) plea seeking to declare him a “fugitive” under a new law.

Special judge MS Azmi, presiding over the court set up under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), had on 25 July issued summons to Nirav Modi, seeking his reply to the application filed by the ED.

The financial crime probe agency, in the plea, had sought direction to declare the diamond jeweller a “fugitive” under the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act.

His lawyers sought time to file the reply to the ED’s plea. The judge fixed 29 October for next hearing of the matter and asked him to file his reply on that date.

The court had also issued a 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 on 26 September. Which they have failed to do so.