Govt looked other way when Nirav Modi slipped out of India: Congress

New Delhi: The Congress Thursday alleged that the NDA government was looking the other way when billionaire jeweller Nirav Modi used his clout with the prime minister to slip out of the country and steal Rs 12,000 crore, drawing comparison with the case of liquor baron Vijay Mallya.

State-owned Punjab National Bank yesterday said that it had detected a USD 1.77 billion (about Rs 11,400 crore) scam where Nirav Modi allegedly acquired fraudulent letters of undertaking from a branch in Mumbai to secure overseas credit from other Indian lenders.

"Guide to looting India by Nirav Modi--1. Hug PM Modi 2. Be seen with him in DAVOS. Use that clout to: A. Steal 12,000 crore B. Slip out of the country like Mallya, while the government looks the other way," Congress chief Rahul Gandhi tweeted.

Congress communications in-charge Randeep Surejewala raised questions on whether Nirav Modi had been tipped off following which he left the country.

"Who is Nirav Modi? The new #ModiScam? Was he tipped off like Lalit Modi and Vijay Mallya to escape by someone within the government," he asked.

"Has it become the norm for letting people run away with public money? Who is responsible," Surjewala tweeted.