Billionaire Nirav Modi, who is under investigation for a ₹13,000 crore bank fraud case, was spotted in London recently, as per the Telegraph.
Exclusive: Telegraph journalists tracked down Nirav Modi, the billionaire diamond tycoon who is a suspect for the biggest banking fraud in India’s historyhttps://t.co/PpsjGeFEsy pic.twitter.com/v3dN5NotzQ
— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) March 8, 2019
In the video, Nirav Modi evades all questions about bank fraud, his current business dealings, seeking political asylum and even his expected stay in London.
Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi are the prime accused in Punjab National Bank scam, where they apparently provided fake guarantees to secure loans overseas. Both cited threat of lynching as the reason for not returning to India.
As per reports, Modi is currently residing in a townhouse in SoHo, which is apparently worth ₹ 75 crore and has even started trading in diamonds again.
However, as per NDTV, foreign ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar shared that the government has already sent an extradition request for Nirav Modi.
We sent an extradition request to the UK. Just because he was spotted on the street does not mean you can bring him back immediately. There’s a due process. We are waiting for the UK government to respond
“Despite what u see on TV today, the status remains same, UK has to respond to extradition request” & ” We know he is in UK, that is why we have made a request to UK. Just because he has been spotted doesn’t mean he can be brought back”:Ministry of External Affairs on #NiravModi pic.twitter.com/D45ZGJ0yzX
— Smita Prakash (@smitaprakash) March 9, 2019
As the video circulated on social media, Twitterati called him out for sporting a lavish lifestyle, while running away from the law.
A 10000 pound ostrich hide jacket+ 8 million pound flat in London’s West End but has to hail a black cab with great difficulty. What kind of bogus billionaire is he? #NiravModi https://t.co/1xmfwbQYCR
— Rupa Subramanya (@rupasubramanya) March 9, 2019
Best part about the video? #NiravModi wearing ostrich hide jacket worth 10,000 quid
— sunetra choudhury (@sunetrac) March 9, 2019
Apparently there are companies in West London that help international frauds like #NiravModi who after defrauding PNB to the tune of 1.5 Billion pounds ..
— Shuvankar Mukherjee (@shuvankr) March 9, 2019
Yet smug enough to wear 10000 pound ostrich jacket and roam publicly .. pic.twitter.com/mTl9lrgKFY
How about this as a plot:#NiravModi is arrested by four undercover RAW agents. They take him to an underground room.
— Vir Das (@thevirdas) March 9, 2019
“Mr Modi, you know diamonds, and you’re already in london. If you can get the Kohinoor back, all is forgiven.”
Cue rock music to set up heist prep montage.
Hope the cabbie took the fare at the start of the trip..
— Ankit (@tyagi_ankit) March 9, 2019