PNB fraud: Interpol issues red corner notice against Nirav's sister
New Delhi, Sep 10 : Interpol has issued a red corner notice (RCN) against Purvi Deepak Modi, sister of fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi who is wanted in the Rs 13,500 crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud case, officials said on Monday.
According to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) the Interpol issued the RCN against Purvi Modi on the charge of money laundering, as requested by it.
In August, a special court in Mumbai had issued public summons to Nirav Modi's sister Purvi and brother Neeshal, who are Belgian citizens, to appear before it on September 25. The court also said that if they fail to appear then their properties would be confiscated under the newly enacted fugitive offenders act.
According to ED officials, Purvi Modi and other family members of Nirav Modi were the recipients of the proceeds of the crime.
Last week, Interpol issued a RCN against Nirav Modi's close aide Mihir Bhansali in connection with the case.
Bhansali, who was an executive in Nirav Modi's Firestar International firm, is absconding since the probe started in the alleged $2 billion PNB fraud case.
The RCN is issued to seek the location and arrest of wanted person(s) with a view to extradition or similar lawful action.
The ED wants to question Purvi Modi and Bhansali to unearth further details of the fraud committed by Nirav Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi of the Gitanjali group to cheat the Mumbai-based PNB's Brady House branch.
The Interpol, in its notice, requested its 192 member countries to arrest or detain Bhansali so that his extradition process could begin.
The Interpol has issued a similar notice against Nirav Modi, who as well as his family and uncle Choksi left the country in January, a month before the fraud came to light.
The notice mentions Bhansali's birth place Mumbai and gives his date of birth as November 15, 1977. Purvi Modi's photo is also pasted on the notice.
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CM Siddaramaiah alleges ‘criminal conspiracy’ in Sringeri recount, vows legal action
Bengaluru (PTI): Alleging a “criminal conspiracy” by BJP candidate D N Jeevaraj in the Sringeri Assembly poll recounting, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said the outcome was manipulated after valid postal ballot votes in favour of Congress leader T D Raje Gowda were tampered with during the recounting process.
Following a Karnataka High Court order on an election petition filed by Jeevaraj, challenging Raje Gowda’s election, the reverification and recounting were conducted on Saturday.
After the reverification and recount of postal ballots for the Sringeri Assembly constituency, votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda were reduced by 255, the returning officer said.
A report on the matter has been submitted to the Election Commission of India for further action, the officer added.
Congress leader Raje Gowda had won the 2023 Assembly polls from Sringeri by 201 votes, defeating his nearest rival Jeevaraj.
Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, Siddaramaiah said the High Court had directed the recounting of postal ballots and that irregularities were noticed during the exercise conducted on May 2.
“This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” Siddaramaiah said, alleging that valid votes cast in favour of Raje Gowda were altered after being accepted by counting agents of all parties, including Congress, BJP, and JD(S).
He claimed that during the recounting of postal ballots, 255 votes were initially accepted as valid by all agents but were later tampered with by subordinate officials.
“There is a second mark on the votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda. They had accepted these as valid votes. Subsequently, another mark was made by officials. This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” he said.
When asked who was behind the alleged conspiracy, the CM replied, “It was hatched by Jeevaraj and others. It is planned.”
Siddaramaiah further alleged that the returning officer acted improperly by declaring the result despite the presence of an Election Commission observer during the recounting.
“Immediately after the counting, the returning officer announced the result. He should not have done so; this is against the law,” he said.
He pointed out that Raje Gowda had originally won by 201 votes, but after the recounting, the BJP candidate was declared the winner by 52 votes.
“The BJP has committed a criminal act of conspiracy. This is not vote chori but vote dacoity,” he alleged.
The CM said a police complaint had already been filed by Raje Gowda’s election agent, Sudhir Kumar, and emphasised the need for electoral integrity.
“We want transparency and free and fair elections. That is what our Constitution mandates,” he added.
Stating that the government would pursue legal remedies, Siddaramaiah said, “We are preparing an appeal challenging the returning officer’s announcement in a court of law.”
Responding to a separate query on elections in other states, the CM said there appeared to be an anti-incumbency factor in West Bengal, while results in Tamil Nadu were “surprising,” adding that Vijay’s party was emerging as the largest there.
Following the victory of party candidates in Bagalkote and Davanagere South, Siddaramaiah expressed confidence about future electoral prospects in Karnataka.
“Even in 2028, we will win the Assembly elections. We will come back,” the CM said.
Siddaramaiah added that he would order a forensic examination into the alleged tampering of postal ballots.
