Nirav Modi claims political asylum in UK, says Financial Times
New Delhi/London, Jun 11 (IBNS): Diamond czar Nirav Modi, who fled from the country after being accused in a $2 billion bank fraud case, is claiming a political asylum in the United Kingdom (UK), according to the Financial Times report published on Sunday.
The Financial Times has reported it citing Indian and British officials.
The paper quoting unnamed officials in India and the UK said "he is in London, where his company has one store, and is trying to claim asylum from what he said was political persecution."
The banking sector fraud came to light in early 2018 when Punjab National Bank (PNB) said Modi along with his uncle Mehul Choksi defrauded $2.2 billion by issuing illegal letters of understanding from overseas branches of other Indian banks.
A PNB staff was also involved in the fraud case.
Police have filed charges against 25 people including Modi and Choksi in the case.
On May 24, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) filed the first chargesheet against diamond merchant Modi and other associates in the PNB fraud and money laundering case, according to media reports.
The chargesheet contains details of the attachment made by ED against Modi and his associates in the past few months after an FIR was registered in the name of the accused.
Modi has been absconding since early 2018 when the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) started investigating the fraud case involving him and Indian banks.
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