English हिन्दी
Connect with us

India News

Nirav Modi travelled to Belgium last week on Indian passport, has 6 of them

Published

8 years ago

on

Nirav Modi travelled to Belgium last week on Indian passport, has 6 of them

Jeweller Nirav Modi, the main accused in the Rs 13,000 crore PNB loan fraud, travelled on his Indian passport as recently as June 12, when he took a Eurostar high-speed train from London to Brussels, said media reports.

Modi avoided taking a flight on June 12 from London, choosing to travel by rail instead, after reports of his asylum request emerged., reported The Times of India, quoting sources. This was confirmed to Indian officials by European immigration authorities who captured Modi’s passport details on his trip to Brussels, the TOI report said..

Nirav Modi’s passport was revoked on February 24, but the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) moved the Interpol on June 11 for a red corner notice (RCN), after a chargesheet was filed against Modi recently.

In the past, requests for RCN have sometimes not succeeded in the absence of a chargesheet and officials said Interpol has not been consistent in this regard.

The window provided by the delay could have been used by Modi to travel to Brussels. Asked how Modi was still managing to travel on a revoked passport, a foreign ministry spokesperson told TOI, “We will know how he is travelling only when we are informed by (investigating) agencies.”

According to the official, the onus of informing Interpol about revocation of Modi’s passport and imposing travel restrictions is on the investigating agencies. The CBI had approached Interpol to get a ‘diffusion notice’ against Modi which would have required member countries to inform the agency through Interpol of Modi’s presence in their jurisdiction.

Modi’s passport details need to be incorporated in the international police body’s database of lost or cancelled passports which imposes travel restrictions. His passport was revoked on a request from the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate. However, he is understood to have made frequent trips across Schengen countries using his Indian passport. The source said Modi, born in Belgium, had a Singaporean passport and possibly a third one from Morocco, which is being verified.

In Brussels, Indian authorities have informed banks and financial institutions about the investigation against Modi, blocking his financial transactions. However, the source said these preventive measures had hardly impacted Modi’s business as he was able to carry out operations through companies allegedly floated by his father and associates.

His frequent travels, despite revocation of his passport, have raised suspicion of him holding six passports, of which two were active for quite some time, according to media reports. One of these had his full name while the other had only his first name with a 40-month UK visa.

The second passport was also subsequently revoked by the Indian authorities.

The government has informed the Interpol about Nirav Modi’s revoked passports, but in the absence of a uniform international mechanism, the document couldn’t be blocked in several countries, said media reports.

“It is a criminal offence to use a revoked passport and possess more than one valid passport if a person does not enjoy a special status like that of a diplomatic entity, a government employee, etc. A fresh FIR may be filed against Nirav Modi and he may face prosecution for the offence after the completion of an internal inquiry,” a senior official in the security establishment said.

According to this official, an inquiry is also being conducted to check if Nirav Modi is using passports issued by other countries. The ED, which has attached Modi’s assets in India worth Rs 3,000 crore, is planning to file extradition requests with multiple countries as he has been frequently changing locations.

Last week, the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) urged Interpol to issue an arrest warrant against Nirav Modi on the basis of their respective chargesheets against him and others, containing corruption and money-laundering charges.

Once the Interpol issued the notice and Modi’s latest location was ascertained, the government would move for his extradition, the people quoted above said.

The ED will also move a special court in Mumbai to seek an official declaration to categorise Modi as a “fugitive” on the basis of the chargesheet filed last month and for immediate confiscation of assets worth over Rs8,000 crore, owned by him, his family and associated firms.

Nirav Modi, his uncle and Gitanjali gems promoter Nirav Choksi, and others are being probed by the agencies after the PNB fraud came to light, following a complaint by the bank. CBI and ED have registered two FIRs each in the PNB fraud case. Both Modi and Choksi are said to have left the country before the criminal cases were lodged against them.

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

India News

Amit Shah praises Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation, says Nation above post

Amit Shah hailed Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation as Union Education Minister, saying BJP places the nation and students above any position while highlighting the government’s commitment to examination reforms.

Published

20 hours ago

on

July 26, 2026

By

Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday praised Dharmendra Pradhan’s decision to step down as Union Education Minister, saying the move reflected the Bharatiya Janata Party’s commitment to placing the nation and students above any political position.

In a post on X, Shah said that for BJP workers, the country, its youth and students are more important than any office. He described Pradhan’s resignation as an example of the party’s guiding principle of prioritising national interest over personal ambition.

Shah highlights government’s focus on exam reforms

Amit Shah said the Narendra Modi-led government respects the sentiments of students and remains committed to strengthening the examination system following concerns over alleged paper leaks.

He said the Centre has introduced strict measures to ensure severe punishment for those involved in examination paper leaks and expressed confidence that these steps would deliver justice to students who cleared the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET).

Praises Pradhan’s work as Education Minister

Recalling Dharmendra Pradhan’s tenure, Shah highlighted several initiatives undertaken during his time in the Education Ministry. He credited Pradhan with helping implement the National Education Policy (NEP), expanding PM SHRI schools, promoting digital education, strengthening skill development and improving coordination between industry and academic institutions.

Shah also said Pradhan worked towards making examinations more inclusive and student-centric, adding that his tenure reflected his commitment to the vision of a developed India.

Resignation follows NEET controversy

Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation comes amid nationwide protests over alleged irregularities in the NEET examination and growing demands for accountability.

The resignation has triggered political reactions across party lines. While opposition parties have described the development as a result of sustained student protests, BJP leaders have projected it as an example of accountability and commitment to national interest.

Continue Reading

India News

Assam flood death toll rises to 66, over 6.5 lakh people still affected

Assam’s flood situation improved slightly on Saturday, but more than 6.54 lakh people remain affected in six districts. Four fresh deaths have pushed the state’s flood toll to 66.

Published

20 hours ago

on

July 26, 2026

By

Assam floods

The flood situation in Assam showed marginal improvement on Saturday, though the disaster continued to impact more than 6.54 lakh people across six districts. Four more deaths were reported during the day, taking the total number of fatalities in this year’s floods to 66.

According to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), three of the latest deaths were reported from Sivasagar district, while one person lost their life in Charaideo.

The number of affected people declined from over 7.05 lakh across nine districts on Friday to 6,54,800 across six districts on Saturday, indicating a gradual improvement in the overall situation.

Sivasagar remains the worst-hit district

Among the affected districts, Sivasagar continues to be the worst hit, with nearly 2.9 lakh people impacted by the floods. Charaideo follows with around 1.9 lakh affected residents, while more than 1.3 lakh people remain affected in Jorhat.

The other districts still facing flood-related challenges are Dibrugarh, Golaghat and Nagaon.

Relief operations continue across affected areas

The ASDMA said the state administration is operating 274 relief camps and aid distribution centres across the affected districts. Around 18,902 displaced people are currently taking shelter at these facilities.

The latest daily bulletin also stated that floodwaters have inundated 810 villages across the state, while 34,970.8 hectares of agricultural land have suffered damage.

Rivers flowing above danger level

The floods have also damaged embankments, roads, bridges and other public infrastructure in several areas.

Authorities said the Dikhou River in Sivasagar and the Dhansiri River at Numaligarh are flowing above the danger level, and officials continue to closely monitor the situation.

Continue Reading

India News

UP Government forms new SIT led by 3 IPS officers to probe Ayodhya Ram Temple donation theft

The Uttar Pradesh government has formed a new SIT led by three IPS officers to investigate the alleged Ram Temple donation theft case in Ayodhya following Supreme Court directions.

Published

20 hours ago

on

July 26, 2026

By

Ram Mandir

The Uttar Pradesh government has reconstituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by IG Kiran S, with DIG Somen Verma and SSP Dr Gaurav Grover as members, to investigate the alleged theft of donations meant for the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. 

The move comes after directions from the Supreme Court, which sought a reconstituted investigation team to ensure an independent and comprehensive probe into the allegations.

The newly formed SIT is expected to continue the investigation and submit a status report before the Supreme Court on July 27.

Senior IPS officers to lead the probe

According to the state government, the investigation will now be supervised by senior IPS officers.  The revamped SIT has been tasked with examining all aspects of the alleged embezzlement of temple donations and carrying the investigation forward.

The Supreme Court had observed that criminal investigations and technical examination of theft-related cases are more effectively handled by experienced police officers, leading to the reconstitution of the SIT under senior IPS leadership.

Probe to continue under court supervision

The case relates to the alleged embezzlement of offerings (chadhava) donated by devotees at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya.

The Supreme Court is monitoring the investigation and will review the SIT’s status report at the next hearing.

Authorities are expected to continue examining evidence collected during the earlier stages of the investigation as the newly constituted SIT proceeds with the case.

Continue Reading

Trending

© Copyright 2022 APNLIVE.com