Union Bank sues Nirav Modi in Hong Kong court: Report
Beijing, Sep 27 : The Union Bank of India has sued fugitive billionaire jeweller Nirav Modi in a Hong Kong court, a media report said.
A report in the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post said the Union Bank claimed in a writ filed at the High Court on Wednesday that the Mumbai-born businessman, wanted for a massive financial scam in India, guaranteed two loans made to Firestone Trading Private on October 21, 2011 and Firestar Diamond on November 15, 2011.
The bank is demanding that Nirav Modi - who owns a chain of jewellery shops from Hong Kong to New York and whose celebrity clients have included actresses Naomi Watts and Kate Winslet - pay more than $5.49 million plus interest after both firms allegedly defaulted on repayments.
Nirav Modi, 47, has been on the run since February after Indian authorities launched an investigation into his alleged involvement in a Rs 13,600 crore (US$1.8 billion) scam against the Punjab National Bank (PNB), the country's second-largest state-run lender.
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1,600 Indians travel to India on 5 Qatar Airways flights amid airspace curbs
Doha (PTI): Around 1,600 Indian nationals travelled to India on five Qatar Airways flights on Tuesday, even as the airline continues to operate limited services due to restrictions on Qatar's airspace, the Indian Embassy here said.
The flights included two services to Delhi and one each to Mumbai, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram, the embassy said in a social media post.
"In total, about 1600 Indian nationals travelled on Qatar Airways flights today," it said.
The mission noted that Qatar's airspace remains largely closed and Qatar Airways is currently operating only limited, non-scheduled flights.
The airline has announced services to nine Indian destinations starting Wednesday, and passengers can make bookings through the Qatar Airways website, mobile application or authorised travel agents.
The embassy said it continues to facilitate temporary Saudi transit visas for stranded Indian nationals wishing to travel to India via Saudi Arabia by crossing the Salwa land border.
The mission will remain open on all days in the coming week to provide consular services, including issuance of passports, while its control room and helplines through phone, email and WhatsApp will continue to function on a 24/7 basis.
It urged the Indian community to follow instructions issued by Qatari authorities and exercise responsibility in sharing information to help maintain public safety and community stability.
The embassy and Indian community organisations have also collaborated to support members of the Indian fishermen community in Qatar by providing dry rations to those in need.
Tensions in West Asia continue to escalate following the US-Israel strikes on Iran since February 28.
