According to British daily The Telegraph, Nirav Modi is living in a 3-bedroom apartment at a landmark Centre Point in London's West End.
Fugitive diamond merchant Nirav Modi, who is the prime accused in Rs 13,000 crore Punjab National Bank fraud case was confronted by a British newspaper at a busy London street on Friday. The billionaire tycoon who is wanted in India for around US $2 Billion PNB fraud declined to answer any question when confronted by a British daily reporter.
Nirav Modi kept on repeating "no comment" in response to a number of questions asked by the reporter.
The newspaper has also uploaded close to a 2-minute long video where the reporter is asking him a series of questions including whether he has sought asylum in the United Kingdom, in relation to the PNB fraud case and that how long he intends to stay in England. The video shows Nirav Modi sporting a handle-bar moustache and wearing an expensive jacket worth £10,000 or Rs 9 lakh Ostrich Hide jacket.
(With agency inputs)
Here is what the report by the British daily has unearthed about the fugitive diamantaire:
1. "No comment" was Nirav Modi's repley when confronted by a British daily reporter in London
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The fugitive diamond merchant who is the main accused in Rs 13,000 crore PNB scam has been recently confronted by a British daily The Telegraph on a busy London street. Reporter put a series of questions to Nirav Modi in relation to the PNB fraud case but he only had one response "no comment".
Nirav Modi was asked that he owes a lot of money in India, he replied with "no comment". The fugitive was asked how long he intends to stay in England, he said, "no comment". The reporter asked Nirav Modi that government officials have informed them that you (Nirav Modi) has applied for political asylum and that you are the subject of an extradition application, he said, "sorry, no comment."
2. Nirav Modi living in 3-bedroom apartment at landmark London centre point in London
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The report claims that Modi has also started a new diamond business in Soho. According to the newspaper's report, Nirav Modi is living in a 3-bedroom £8 million flat located at a landmark Centre Point in London's West End.
This is the very first time Nirav Modi has been seen, ever since he escaped India in January 2018, before Rs 13,000 crore PNB fraud came into the public foray.
3. Nirav Modi was wearing Ostrich Hide jacket worth approx Rs 9 lakh
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The fugitive and main accused in the PNB fraud case, Nirav Modi was wearing Ostrich Hide jacket worth approx £10,000, when he was confronted by The Telegraph journalists at a busy London street.
4. Nirav Modi's 30,000 sq ft Alibaug mansion in Maharashtra demolished
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Earlier on Friday, authorities in Maharashtra demolished fugitive's Alibaug mansion, worth close to Rs 40 crore. The mansion was spread in 30,000 sq ft area. Nirav Modi escaped India in January 2018, much before the time when PNB fraud had come into public domain.
Ever since then, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and other law enforcement agencies have been attaching, sealing his properties (movable and immovable), business to recover the cost. A Red Corner notice was issued by Interpol against Modi last year as part of a joint probe by the ED and the CBI in the case.
5. We are aware Nirav Modi is in UK: MEA
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After reports surfaced that Nirav Modi has been confronted by a UK newspaper in London, MEA said, "All necessary steps are being taken for the extradition of Nirav Modi. We have been aware of his presence in UK. It (extradition request) is under their (UK government) consideration."
