Nirav Modi's wife named in PNB chargesheet

Mumbai: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a fresh chargesheet against Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam accused Nirav Modi under the anti-money lau-ndering law before a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court in Mumbai. For the first time, the ED has named Modi’s wife, Ami, as an accused in the case.

The agency has claimed that Ami owns two properties in the US bought from the proceeds of the crime. The agency has stated in the chargesheet that Modi had purchased two properties in the US worth USD 29.9 million in Central Park from the proceeds of the crime through layered transactions and later transferred them in Ami’s name.

Apart from the companies owned by Modi, the ED has named his family members Neeshal Modi, Nehal Modi, Purvi Modi alias Purvi Mehta in the supplementary charg-esheet. The probe agency has claimed that the family members assisted him knowingly.

The agency has claimed in the chargesheet that Modi’s brother Nehal allegedly attempted to destroy evidence and to influence some of the employees who were working in the company owned by Modi.

According to the ED, there were no manufacturing activities in the dummy companies, and jewellery exported from India was melted or dismantled, diamonds or gems taken out of it and later gold and silver were sent for melting. It was then re-exported from Dubai or India.

The ED has also claimed that Purvi Mehta owns Fine Classic FZE, a Dubai-based company and the entity received money from Dubai and Hong Kong-based companies, which are beneficiaries of Letter or Undertaking (LoUs) issued by the PNB in the guise of trade outstation.

As per the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and ED, Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi, who controlled high-profile jewellery firms, allegedly cheated PNB to the tune of Rs 14,000 crore by fraudulently securing LoUs.