ED Moves Mumbai Court to Serve Notice to Nirav Modi Brother Neeshal in Belgium

On Wednesday, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) moved a special court in Mumbai to issue a Letter of Request to Belgium to serve a notice to Neeshal Modi, the brother of absconding diamond trader Nirav Modi. The action is part of the ongoing probe into the alleged multi-crore fraud at Punjab National Bank (PNB).

The court issued the Letter of Request with directions to the Ministry of Home Affairs, as requested by the federal agency. This legal step comes months after the special court had initially issued a notice to Neeshal Modi, who is believed to be a Belgian national.

Through the Letter of Request, the court sends official communication to another country to facilitate legal proceedings. The ED resorted to this method to ensure the notice is successfully served overseas.

Nirav Modi and his two brothers, Neeshal Modi and Nehal Modi, are all named in the investigation linked to the PNB fraud. In February, the ED had sought to initiate proceedings to declare the brothers as fugitive economic offenders, citing their failure to participate in the ongoing probe.

The ED's investigation has focused heavily on Neeshal Modi's role in several business entities. The agency has claimed that he was a partner in multiple firms, including Diamonds R US, Solar Exports, and Stellar Diamond.

According to the agency, Neeshal Modi actively participated in appointing dummy partners in these specific firms in 2016. Furthermore, investigators alleged that he was a director in Firestar Diamond, a company that reportedly received transfers of huge sums of money from Hong Kong-based firms.

As the investigation continues, the accused family members remain in different international jurisdictions. While Nirav Modi is currently facing extradition proceedings in the United Kingdom, their uncle, Mehul Choksi, who is booked in a linked case, is before a court in Belgium.