NEW DELHI: The ED on Tuesday mentioned it was "proactively" pursuing all issues bearing on the extradition of Nirav Modi, the main accused in the $2 billion PNB rip-off, from the United Kingdom as it brushed aside media reports that Indian agencies "did not respond" in time when British investigators extended help.
The central company, which is probing Nirav Modi beneath the felony sections of the anti-money laundering regulation, issued a two-page explanation, saying the media reports on this context "have been distorted with speculative writing and wrong conclusions have been drawn".
A British daily not too long ago revealed a report and video showing Modi walking on the streets of London and mentioned the fugitive diamantaire was living in a swanky 8-million kilos apartment in the town's West End and that he was taken with a new diamond business.
Calling the reports of inaction on part of the company "insinuating", the Enforcement Directorate (ED) mentioned, "It has been wrongly reported in the information item that the United Kingdom SFO had showed to Indian government by means of March, 2018 that Nirav Modi was in the United Kingdom.
"In this connection, it is submitted that no such formal or informal conversation was won by means of the ED from UK government in March, 2018 or at a later date, informing that Nirav Modi was in the United Kingdom."
The ED added that the National Central Bureau of Manchester, the nodal company of the United Kingdom for dealing with Interpol notices and cooperating with other international locations, had instead requested Indian agencies to "provide it" with intelligence inputs that recommended Modi was in the United Kingdom.
It mentioned the United Kingdom executive's "constant stand" had been that a non-bailable warrant (NBW) against an accused could only be executed through an "extradition request" and now not through letters rogatory (LR) or the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT).
Hence, it mentioned, the extradition request for Modi may just only be despatched after a chargesheet was filed against him, which was performed by means of the company in May closing yr.
"An extradition request cannot be despatched at the level of investigation. Accordingly, upon initiation of investigations by means of the ED beneath the Prevention of Money Laundering Act in February closing yr against Nirav Modi and others, the first NBW was issued on March 5, 2018 and that was now not acted upon by means of the United Kingdom executive," the company mentioned.
The ED received a recent NBW against Modi from a Mumbai court after filing the chargesheet and despatched it to the Interpol, which notified the "purple warrant" for arrest against the fugitive diamantaire on June 29 closing yr, and subsequently, a recent request for extradition was despatched to the United Kingdom executive, the company mentioned.
It added that it had also despatched a supplementary MLAT request in October closing yr for execution of an order of attachment of the UK-based belongings of Modi.
"In response to those MLAT requests, the United Kingdom government had raised queries from time-to-time, which have been promptly examined, and detailed replies have been despatched by means of the ED. These MLAT requests are yet to be performed by means of the United Kingdom government," the central probe company mentioned.
"It is reiterated that the ED has been proactively following up all the issues in the case of the Nirav Modi case with government of quite a lot of international locations, including the United Kingdom. The directorate has also been making vital efforts for a success extradition of Nirav Modi," it mentioned.
The company mentioned the most recent media reports mirrored that the "working out regarding the felony issues is opposite to the facts and established world protocols and procedures".
"This kind of misreporting and speculative information might create a flawed influence to the public at large," it mentioned.
On March 9, the ED had mentioned the United Kingdom house secretary had not too long ago referred India's request for extraditing the tainted businessman to a court for starting up felony lawsuits against him.
The central company, which is probing Nirav Modi beneath the felony sections of the anti-money laundering regulation, issued a two-page explanation, saying the media reports on this context "have been distorted with speculative writing and wrong conclusions have been drawn".
A British daily not too long ago revealed a report and video showing Modi walking on the streets of London and mentioned the fugitive diamantaire was living in a swanky 8-million kilos apartment in the town's West End and that he was taken with a new diamond business.
Calling the reports of inaction on part of the company "insinuating", the Enforcement Directorate (ED) mentioned, "It has been wrongly reported in the information item that the United Kingdom SFO had showed to Indian government by means of March, 2018 that Nirav Modi was in the United Kingdom.
"In this connection, it is submitted that no such formal or informal conversation was won by means of the ED from UK government in March, 2018 or at a later date, informing that Nirav Modi was in the United Kingdom."
The ED added that the National Central Bureau of Manchester, the nodal company of the United Kingdom for dealing with Interpol notices and cooperating with other international locations, had instead requested Indian agencies to "provide it" with intelligence inputs that recommended Modi was in the United Kingdom.
It mentioned the United Kingdom executive's "constant stand" had been that a non-bailable warrant (NBW) against an accused could only be executed through an "extradition request" and now not through letters rogatory (LR) or the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT).
Hence, it mentioned, the extradition request for Modi may just only be despatched after a chargesheet was filed against him, which was performed by means of the company in May closing yr.
"An extradition request cannot be despatched at the level of investigation. Accordingly, upon initiation of investigations by means of the ED beneath the Prevention of Money Laundering Act in February closing yr against Nirav Modi and others, the first NBW was issued on March 5, 2018 and that was now not acted upon by means of the United Kingdom executive," the company mentioned.
The ED received a recent NBW against Modi from a Mumbai court after filing the chargesheet and despatched it to the Interpol, which notified the "purple warrant" for arrest against the fugitive diamantaire on June 29 closing yr, and subsequently, a recent request for extradition was despatched to the United Kingdom executive, the company mentioned.
It added that it had also despatched a supplementary MLAT request in October closing yr for execution of an order of attachment of the UK-based belongings of Modi.
"In response to those MLAT requests, the United Kingdom government had raised queries from time-to-time, which have been promptly examined, and detailed replies have been despatched by means of the ED. These MLAT requests are yet to be performed by means of the United Kingdom government," the central probe company mentioned.
"It is reiterated that the ED has been proactively following up all the issues in the case of the Nirav Modi case with government of quite a lot of international locations, including the United Kingdom. The directorate has also been making vital efforts for a success extradition of Nirav Modi," it mentioned.
The company mentioned the most recent media reports mirrored that the "working out regarding the felony issues is opposite to the facts and established world protocols and procedures".
"This kind of misreporting and speculative information might create a flawed influence to the public at large," it mentioned.
On March 9, the ED had mentioned the United Kingdom house secretary had not too long ago referred India's request for extraditing the tainted businessman to a court for starting up felony lawsuits against him.
ED refutes allegation of inaction, says it's taking proactive steps to get Nirav Modi extradited
![ED refutes allegation of inaction, says it's taking proactive steps to get Nirav Modi extradited]()
Reviewed by Kailash
on
March 12, 2019
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