New Delhi, Aug 20 : Fugitive diamond jeweller Nirav Modi, wanted in the Rs 13,500 crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud, is in the United Kingdom, the Interpol has confirmed, prompting the CBI to seek his extradition, officials said on Monday.

According to a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) official, the UK authorities confirmed Nirav Modi's presence in the country on Sunday through a mail on the basis of the diffusion notice issued against him by the probe agency to the Interpol.

The official also said the CBI sent an extradition request to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Monday.

"The Home Ministry has also been requested to move its extradition request to the Ministry of External Affairs and through the MEA to the UK authority."

Earlier on August 2, Minister of State for External Affairs V.K. Singh informed Parliament that the government had sent a request to the UK for extraditing Nirav Modi.

On July 2, the Interpol had issued a Red Corner Notice (RCN) against Nirav Modi under money laundering charges levelled by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

Nirav Modi along with his uncle Mehul Choksi of the Gitanjali group is being probed in the fraud case by the CBI and the ED.

The ED had, on May 24 and May 26, filed prosecution complaints or chargesheets against Choksi and Modi. The court has taken cognizance of the chargesheets and issued non-bailable warrants against both of them.

Nirav Modi left India along with his family in the first week of January, weeks before the scam was reported to the CBI. His wife Ami, a US citizen, left on January 6 and Choksi on January 4.



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Dhanbad (Jharkhand) (PTI): At least four workers died after being buried under coal slurry in Jharkhand's Dhanbad district on Saturday, a police official said.

The incident took place at Moonidih coal washery in the command area of Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL).

"Bodies of all four workers were dug out of debris during a rescue operation," Putki police station in-charge Waqar Hussain told PTI.

The incident took place when coal slurry was being loaded into trucks by workers, during which a large chunk of slurry fell and trapped several workers underneath, officials said.

The deceased have been identified as Manik Bauri, Dinesh Bauri, Deepak Bauri, and Hemlal Gope.

Meanwhile, the family members of the deceased and local villagers placed the bodies in front of the washery gate and began a protest.

They demanded compensation, jobs for dependents and action against those responsible for the incident.

Police and administration officials are trying to pacify the protesters, an official said.