PNB scam: Nirav Modi located in UK, British authorities inform India

British authorities have informed India that bank fraud fugitive Nirav Modi is living in the UK, the government has said.

Replying to a question, Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh told Rajya Sabha that National Central Bureau of Manchester conveyed to Indian agencies that their investigations have led to the location of Nirav Modi in the UK.

"In August 2018, the government sent two requests, one from the CBI and the other from the Enforcement Directorate, to the authorities of the UK seeking the extradition of Nirav Modi to India," he said.

He said the requests are presently under the consideration of the authorities concerned of the UK.

In June, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had written to several European countries seeking help in tracing Nirav Modi.

Nirav Modi is wanted in connection with Punjab National Bank fraud case.

Earlier, his lawyer told a special court that Nirav Modi cannot return to India as he is afraid of "getting lynched" and is being compared to demon 'Ravan'. 

Nirav Modi's lawyer Vijay Agarwal stated this while arguing before Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court Judge MS Azmi against the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) application to declare Modi a fugitive under the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act.

Countering the ED plea, Nirav Modi also said through his lawyer that he had no record or data with him about his finances.

Referring to Nirav Modi's claims of "security threats" in India, the ED said these points are "irrelevant" to the case.

The ED has claimed that Nirav Modi had refused to join the probe despite acknowledging mails and summons issued to him and that he doesn't want to return to India.

Agarwal, however, said the diamond trader had responded to the emails sent by the investigating agencies and expressed his inability to return due to "security threats".