Along with Nirav Modi, the bank accounts of sister Purvi Modi were also frozen by the Switzerland government. It is said that the seized accounts are worth a total of 6 million dollars. The request by the ED was made on the grounds that the money deposited in these bank accounts were out of illegal siphoned off fund from Indian banks.
The 48-year-old Nirav Modi, who has been lodged at Wandsworth prison in south-west London since his arrest in March in connection with the nearly USD 2 billion Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud and money laundering case, today will also be appearing for the first time since his bail appeal was rejected by the UK High Court earlier this month, his fourth attempt at bail. Modi, who has remained in judicial custody since his arrest in March, was arrested by uniformed Scotland Yard officers on an extradition warrant on March 19 and has been in prison since.
Earlier on Wednesday, Antigua's Prime Minister Gaston Browne was quoted as saying Absconding diamond merchant Mehul Choksi's citizenship of Antigua may be revoked by the Caribbean country and he could be extradited to India after he exhausts all legal options. Choksi is promoter of Gitanjali Gems and his nephew Nirav Modi.
The two are wanted by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the CBI for allegedly masterminding the biggest banking fraud of India. Choksi allegedly swindled Rs 7,080.86 crore while remaining was siphoned off by his nephew Modi making it possibly the biggest banking scam in the country.
WATCH: Switzerland Freezes 4 Bank Accounts Of Nirav Modi and Sister