The CBI on Monday confirmed that the absconding diamantaire Nirav Modi managed to travel to several countries on his revoked Indian passport. This, in spite of the fact that the information of his revoked passport was flashed in the Interpol central database on 24 February 2018, said the CBI official spokesperson.
The agency is now trying to find out how Modi managed to elude the authorities in these several countries.
The agency said it had shared the information about the revocation of Modi’s passport in the diffusion notice issued through Interpol on 15 February.
The agency also wrote letters to six countries informing them about the revocation of Modi’s passport. In these six countries, the agency suspected the diamantaire’s presence, namely the UK, US, France, Belgium, UAE and Singapore.
The CBI wrote to all six countries four times as reminders in the month of April and May and requested them to provide updates on the movements of Nirav Modi. We also informed them that the Government of India has revoked/cancelled the passport of Nirav Modi. In the letter, the agency also provided 5 passport numbers (all linked to one active passport).Abhishek Dayal, Spokesperson, CBI
Nirav Modi Has One Passport: CBI
The CBI said that according to their information, Nirav Modi has only one passport. The agency denied having any knowledge of Modi carrying a fake passport.
It is reported in a section of media that Modi was carrying six passports, in two he had his full name and in the other passport he had only his first name. But we don’t have any such information.Senior Official, CBI
Countries Modi Traveled To With Revoked Passport
Though the CBI wrote to six different countries seeking information on Modi, only one responded.
The United Kingdom was the only one who wrote to the CBI, informing the agency about Modi’s movements. The letter furnished details of three of his movements after the passport was revoked. They were thus:
On 15 March, Modi traveled from Heathrow Airport in London to Hong Kong.
On 28 March, he traveled from John F Kennedy Airport, New York to Heathrow Airport, London.
And on 31 March, he traveled from Heathrow Airport, London to Charles de Gaulle Airport, Paris.
The agency had requested that Interpol issue a Red Corner Notice against Modi after the chargesheet was filed on 14 May, with the aim of bringing him back to India so that he could face trial.
The CBI and Enforcement Directorate are clueless about his whereabouts as of now. Nirav Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi have been absconding since the first week of January 2018.
Clearly, Modi being able to travel on a revoked passport has shocked India’s premier investigating agency.
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