PNB fraud case: Govt revokes passports of Nirav Modi, Mehul Choksi

New Delhi: The Government on Saturday revoked the passports of celebrity jeweller Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi, key accused in Rs. 11, 400 crore Punjab National Bank scam, sources told ANI.

“The ministry of external affairs (MEA) sent an email informing Nirav that his passport stands revoked under section 10 (3) (C) of the Passport Act,” a source familiar with the matter told Hindustan Times.

“Nirav replied to the notice raising objections on the notice of revocation issued to him but soon the ministry responded to his email telling him that the passport has been revoked,” the source added.

The external affairs ministry on Thursday said it has a sort of acknowledgement from Nirav Modi, one of the accused in the over Rs 11,000 crore PNB scam, of the show cause notice on why his passport should not be revoked and that the notice has now been sent to a "requested" email id.

Modi, Choksi and others are being investigated by multiple probe agencies after the fraud came to light recently following a complaint by the Punjab National Bank. The complaint alleged that they cheated the nationalised bank to the tune of Rs 11,400 crore, with the purported involvement of a few employees of the bank.

Nirav along with his wife Ami, brother Neeshal and Mehul Choksi left India in the first week of January before the Punjab National Bank accused them of committing the fraud. They have not returned to India since then.

(With agency inputs)