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

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Nirav Modi’s passport was revoked on February 24, but the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) moved the Interpol on June 11 for a red corner notice (RCN), after a chargesheet was filed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 His passport was revoked on a request from the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate.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

India News

Abhishek Banerjee says will not bow to BJP after nearly 11 hours of ED questioning

After spending nearly 11 hours before the Enforcement Directorate, TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee said he would not bow to the BJP and accused the ruling party of using investigative agencies for political purposes.

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Abhishek Banerjee

Trinamool Congress leader and Diamond Harbour MP Abhishek Banerjee on Tuesday said he would not bow to the BJP after spending nearly 11 hours being questioned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with an ongoing investigation.

Speaking after the questioning, Banerjee alleged that central agencies were being used to target opposition leaders and asserted that he would continue his political fight despite what he described as sustained pressure.

The TMC leader has repeatedly maintained that investigations involving him are politically motivated, a charge he has made on several previous occasions while appearing before central agencies.

His appearance before the ED comes amid a period of heightened political activity and multiple investigations involving leaders in West Bengal. Recent days have also seen Banerjee face summons and questioning in separate matters by state investigative agencies.

After leaving the ED office, Banerjee reiterated that he would not be intimidated and said he remained committed to his political responsibilities. He also accused the BJP of attempting to weaken opposition parties through investigative action, an allegation that the BJP has rejected in the past.

The Enforcement Directorate has not publicly commented on Banerjee’s remarks. The investigation related to the questioning remains ongoing.

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India News

DMK attacks Rahul Gandhi, accuses him of weakening opposition unity

DMK has intensified its criticism of Rahul Gandhi, alleging that the Congress leader’s actions have weakened opposition unity and strained relations within the INDIA bloc.

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Rahul-Gandhi

The war of words between the DMK and Congress has intensified, with the DMK launching a strong attack on Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and accusing him of contributing to divisions within the opposition alliance. The criticism comes amid strained ties between the two parties following their political split in Tamil Nadu.

According to the DMK, Rahul Gandhi’s political approach has weakened unity among opposition parties. The party’s IT wing mocked the Congress leader on social media, while an editorial published in the DMK’s official mouthpiece Murasoli questioned his recent remarks on opposition solidarity.

DMK questions Rahul Gandhi’s remarks on opposition unity

In its editorial, Murasoli argued that Rahul Gandhi was speaking about opposition unity despite, according to the DMK, contributing to disagreements among alliance partners in several states. The publication cited criticism directed at Congress by various opposition parties and suggested that the party’s actions had often created tensions within the INDIA bloc.

The editorial also referred to past political disputes involving Congress and Left parties, particularly in Kerala, claiming such episodes had raised concerns among opposition allies about Congress’s approach toward its partners.

Tamil Nadu political fallout adds to tensions

The attack comes after a major political realignment in Tamil Nadu. Following the 2026 Assembly elections, Congress ended its alliance with the DMK and joined the government led by Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). The move left the DMK in the opposition and significantly altered the political equation between the two former allies.

The DMK has alleged that Congress benefited from the alliance during the election and later abandoned its partner. The party’s editorial questioned whether assurances from Congress leadership would be trusted by alliance partners after the developments in Tamil Nadu.

Congress rejects allegations

Congress has not issued a detailed official response to the editorial, but party sources have rejected the allegations. According to the party, its decisions in Tamil Nadu were made in line with the mandate delivered by voters and were not intended to undermine either the DMK or the broader opposition alliance.

The latest exchange highlights growing strains between two key opposition parties even as leaders continue to stress cooperation on national issues. Just days earlier, Rahul Gandhi had said that the DMK remained aligned with the opposition on defending the “idea of India” despite political differences.

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Entertainment

Kumkum Bhagya actor Sanchita Ugale dies by suicide near Mumbai at 22

Television actor Sanchita Ugale, known for Kumkum Bhagya and Wagle Ki Duniya, died by suicide at her residence near Mumbai. Police have launched an investigation.

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Sanchita Ugale

Television actor Sanchita Ugale, known for her appearances in Kumkum Bhagya, Wagle Ki Duniya and Dilwali Dulha Le Jayegi, died by suicide at her residence in Nalasopara East near Mumbai on June 14. She was 22.

According to police officials, the incident took place at her home in Achole village, Nalasopara East. Authorities said Ugale had locked herself inside her bedroom and was later found hanging from a ceiling fan. Family members and local residents rushed her to a hospital, where doctors declared her dead.

Police have registered an Accidental Death Report (ADR) and launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding her death. Officials said inquiries are underway and the exact reason behind the incident has not yet been established.

Career across television, OTT and films

Ugale had built a growing presence in the entertainment industry through television, streaming projects and films. Apart from Kumkum Bhagya and Wagle Ki Duniya, she played a lead role in Dilwali Dulha Le Jayegi. She also appeared in OTT projects such as Crime Aaj Kal and Silence 2.

The actor was also associated with the film Chhaava, which contributed to her growing recognition among audiences.

Last social media post draws attention

Following news of her death, social media users shared and commented on Ugale’s final Instagram post, which had been uploaded hours before the incident. The post showed the actor in traditional attire lip-syncing to a classic Bollywood song. Fans expressed shock and grief after learning of her death.

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