Red Corner Notice against Nirav Modi soon: CBI
New Delhi, June 20: The Interpol will soon issue a Red Corner Notice (RCN) against diamond jeweller Nirav Modi, who is one of the accused in the Rs 13,500 crore Punjab National Bank fraud, officials said on Wednesday.
A Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) official said that "we have expedited the process to issue a RCN against Nirav Modi" as it has been known that he travelled to multiple countries between February 10 and March 31 on revoked Indian passport.
The official said that the Interpol is likely to issue the RCN within a week.
The CBI officials said that a June 5 letter, shared by Britain, revealed that the fugitive businessman travelled from US' John F. Kennedy International Airport to Britain's Heathrow Airport on February 10, from Frank Pais Airport in Cuba to Heathrow on February 15, from Heathrow to Hong Kong International Airport on March 15, from there back to Heathrow on March 28 and from Heathrow to Charles de Gaulle Airport in France on March 31.
On June 11, the CBI approached the Interpol to issue a RCN against Nirav Modi. On June 13, it again approached the Interpol to issue a RCN against Nirav Modi's brother Nishal, who is a Belgian national, and his executive Subhash Parab.
The CBI sent the request to the Interpol after it filed the first chargesheet naming Nirav Modi, Nishal and Parab beside 18 others in a special court in Mumbai on May 14.
The CBI filed three FIRs between January and March to probe the PNB fraud. Most of the accused are common to these cases. The fraud was committed during 2011-17 by illegally issuing Letters of Undertaking (LoUs) and Foreign Letters of Credit (FLCs).
In its first chargesheet, the CBI alleged that Nirav Modi, through his companies, siphoned off funds to the tune of Rs 6,498.20 crore using fraudulent LoUs issued from PNB's Brady House branch in Mumbai. Meanwhile, his uncle Mehul Choksi allegedly swindled Rs 7,080.86 crore.
Nirav Modi left the country 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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India, Italy to boost defence industrial framework for co-production of military hardware
New Delhi (PTI): India and Italy on Thursday resolved to develop a defence industrial framework for co-production of military hardware, a move that came as both nations navigate an evolving security landscape, including the ongoing crisis in West Asia.
The decision to bolster bilateral defence and strategic ties was reached during talks between Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his Italian counterpart Guido Crosetto in New Delhi.
Following the meeting, the two sides unveiled a bilateral military cooperation plan (MCP) 2026-27 regarding military engagements between the armed forces of both the countries.
"We discussed a wide range of regional and global issues including the current situation in West Asia," Singh said on social media.
"We also discussed the avenues to further develop mutually beneficial defence industrial cooperation under India's Atmanirbhar Bharat programme and Italy's defence cooperation initiative," he added.
The defence ministry said Singh and Crosetto reiterated that the India-Italy strategic partnership is based on shared values of peace, stability, freedom, and mutual respect.
"Convergence between both the ancient seafaring nations on various key maritime issues was also highlighted including information exchange through Information Fusion Center-Indian Ocean Region, Gurugram," it said.
Prior to the meeting, the Italian defence minister laid a wreath at the National War Memorial, and paid homage to the bravehearts who made the supreme sacrifice in the service of the nation.
Crosetto also inspected the tri-service Guard of Honour.
Under the broader framework of defence ties, both sides have been looking at boosting cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region with an aim to increase interoperability and cooperation.
The two sides have been exploring avenues for enhanced partnerships and dialogue among public and private stakeholders, focusing on technology collaboration, co-production and co-development of defence platforms and equipment.
