Mumbai special court issues show-cause notice to Nirav Modi

A special court in Mumbai issued a public notice to Nirav Modi asking why his properties shouldn't be confiscated under the Fugitive Economic Offenders (FEO) Act. Modi is wanted for alleged fraud and money laundering in the PNB scam case.

"I, VC Barde, Special Judge, PMLA, 2002 and Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, 2018, issue NOTICE to you to show cause as to why the properties mentioned in the application (ED's plea), in which you have pecuniary interest and/or otherwise, should not be confiscated under the said Act," the recent notice said.

Modi and his sister Purvi Mehta were slapped notices ordering them to appear before the Special Judge VC Barde on June 11 in Mumbai. Special judge VC Barde asked Modi to appear before the court on the aforementioned date, failing which it will proceed with action against him.

Three and a half years ago, Nirav Modi and his uncle Mehul Choski were accused of fraud worth Rs 14,000 crores in the Punjab National Bank (PNB). Following an investigation, a Mumbai magistrate ordered a non-bailable warrant against Modi in February 2018. In December 2019, the special court declared Nirav Modi, who fled to the UK, a fugitive economic offender on request of the Enforcement Director who is conducting a probe into the case.