ED confiscates over Rs 329-cr assets of Nirav Modi under fugitive law

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday said it has confiscated assets worth Rs 329.66 crore of diamond merchant Nirav Modi under the fugitive economic offenders law.

The businessman and his uncle Mehul Choksi among others are being probed by the ED on money laundering charges in connection with an over USD 2 billion alleged bank fraud at a PNB branch in Mumbai.

"The confiscated properties are in the form of four flats at the iconic building Samudra Mahal in Worli Mumbai, a sea-side farm house and land in Alibaug, a wind mill in Jaisalmer, a flat in London and residential flats in UAE, shares and bank deposits," the central probe agency said in a statement.

A special court in Mumbai had on June 8 authorised the ED to confiscate the assets.

Nirav Modi was declared a fugitive economic offenders by the same court on December 5 last year.

"The ED has attached the properties worth Rs. 329.66 crore under the FEO Act, 2018 which now stands confiscated to central government," it said.

The agency till now has attached assets worth Rs 2,348 crore of Nirav Modi under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Nirav Modi (49) is currently lodged in a UK jail after being arrested in London in March, 2019 and is currently fighting extradition to India.