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Agencies probing the alleged $2 billion Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud have detected that absconding diamond merchant Nirav Modi possessed at least half-a-dozen Indian passports and a fresh FIR is being mulled against him for this offence.
Nirav Modi has been traced to Belgium by Indian intelligence agencies and his frequent travels, despite the revocation of his passport, have led the sleuths to unearth that of the six passports he held, two were active for quite some time.
The four other passports were found to be not active, sources told PTI.
Of the two active passports, one had Nirav’s full name while the other only had his first name with a 40-week UK visa issued against it and that is probably how he kept travelling to various countries, despite the government revoking his first known passport earlier this year.
The second passport was also subsequently revoked by the Indian authorities.
The revocation order of the passports has been appended to the application of the probe agencies (CBI and ED), seeking an Interpol arrest warrant or a "red corner notice" against Modi.
He added that an inquiry was also being held to ascertain if Modi was using passports issued by other countries to travel.
Recently, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) have again urged the Interpol to issue an arrest warrant against the fugitive diamantaire on the basis of their respective chargesheets against him and others, containing corruption and money-laundering charges.
Once the Interpol issued the notice and Modi's latest location was ascertained, the government would move for his extradition, the sources said.
The ED will also move a special court in Mumbai to seek an official declaration to categorise Modi as a "fugitive" on the basis of the prosecution complaint (chargesheet) filed last month and for immediate confiscation of assets worth over Rs 8,000 crore, owned by him, his family and associated firms.
The CBI and the ED have registered two FIRs each in connection with the case. Both Modi and Choksi are said to have left the country before the criminal cases were lodged against them.
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