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Time of India
20 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
US arrests Nirav Modi's brother Nehal in extradition case
NEW DELHI: In an important development, Nehal Modi - brother of fugitive Nirav Modi and one of the key accused in the Punjab National Bank's Rs 13,500 crore swindle and the related money laundering case - was arrested by US authorities from New York on Friday in an extradition case filed by ED and CBI. In the PNB money laundering case, the main accused - Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi - were earlier arrested in the UK and Belgium, respectively, on India's extradition request and pending Red Corner Notices. They are currently in prison and have been denied bail till pendency of their extradition proceedings. Sources said the US department of justice has informed Indian authorities about Nehal's arrest and has also conveyed that it would oppose his bail application when it comes up in court on July 17. "As per the complaint filed by the US prosecution, extradition proceedings are being pursued on two counts: one count of money laundering under the PMLA and one count of criminal conspiracy under the IPC," sources said. According to chargesheets filed by ED earlier, Nehal played a key role in laundering proceeds of crime on behalf of his brother, Nirav. "He assisted in concealing and transferring large sums of illicit funds through a web of shell companies and overseas transactions," ED alleged in the chargesheet. On his alleged role, sources said Nehal was personally overseeing that all the accounts and records were destroyed, and was influencing employees/witnesses to conceal money trail and proceeds of crime. ED's evidence against Nehal includes his "footprint" in laundering huge stockpiles of gold, diamonds and cash consignments from Dubai and Hong Kong-based entities of Nirav. According to charges levelled by the agencies, Nehal, after the scam was unearthed, took away diamonds worth $6 million and 150 boxes of pearls from Hong Kong, huge cash, including AED 150 million and 50kg gold from Dubai, and laundered them in safe havens. "He destroyed digital evidence (mobile phones and servers) pertaining to the Nirav Modi case in Dubai and intimidated witnesses, sent them to Cairo, and destroyed their passports so that they cannot travel," sources said. The development also represents coordination between Indian agencies and their US counterparts. Officials of ED and CBI will hold a "status conference" with the US prosecution on the nature of crime and charges slapped against him in India for laundering proceeds of crime. The details of non-bailable warrants against him and cognisance of chargesheets taken by the special courts would also be conveyed to the prosecution service. Agencies, in their multiple chargesheets filed in the PNB case during 2018 and 2019, have levelled serious allegations against Nehal - of destroying evidence and laundering proceeds of crime on behalf of his brother. ED has attached Rs 2,700 crore worth of assets so far in this case in India and abroad. Nirav, Mehul and Nehal are among 34 persons/companies accused in the case.
News18
11-06-2025
- News18
Did Zeeshan Akhtar Use Forged Passport To Escape To Canada? Mumbai Police Probing All Angles
Last Updated: The Mumbai Crime Branch is coordinating with Canadian authorities to initiate Akhtar's extradition and bring him back to India to face trial in Baba Siddique murder case. Mumbai Police's Crime Branch is investigating how Zeeshan Akhtar, the alleged mastermind behind the murder of former Maharashtra minister and NCP (Ajit Pawar faction) leader Baba Siddique, managed to flee the country. Officials suspect that Akhtar may have used a forged passport to exit India, possibly taking an illegal route through Nepal before landing in Canada, where he was recently detained. Akhtar had been on the run since Siddique's murder and was wanted by both the Mumbai and Jalandhar Police, prompting the issuance of Red Corner Notices (RCNs) through Interpol. His arrest in Canada marks a breakthrough in the months-long manhunt. The Mumbai Crime Branch is now coordinating with Canadian authorities to initiate extradition proceedings and bring him back to India to face trial. According to police sources, Akhtar, whose real name is Mohammad Yasin Akhtar and hails from Jalandhar in Punjab, played a central role in the conspiracy. Investigations reveal that he not only orchestrated the plot with co-accused Shubham Lonkar but also maintained direct contact with the shooters involved in the killing. He is said to have arranged logistics and provided instructions to the hitmen, including facilitating the travel of one of the key shooters, Gurmel Singh, from Haryana to Mumbai. Akhtar's alleged gang connections further complicate the case. He is known to be closely associated with gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and is suspected to be a member of the Vikram Brar gang. His criminal record includes a previous arrest by Punjab Police in 2022, indicating a history of serious offences. At one point during the investigation, a video surfaced in which Akhtar claimed to be hiding in Pakistan. However, police now believe that the clip may have been deliberately circulated to mislead investigators and divert attention from his actual whereabouts. This claim has prompted authorities to explore whether there were any efforts from Pakistan to shield him from Indian law enforcement. As the Crime Branch probes how Akhtar escaped and potential cross-border links, efforts are being intensified to dismantle the broader network behind Siddique's murder and ensure justice is served. First Published: June 11, 2025, 10:02 IST
The Hindu
24-04-2025
- The Hindu
Court dismisses bail of key accused in businessman's murder
The District Principal Sessions Court has dismissed the bail plea of the first accused in the murder of expatriate businessman Adul Gafoor Haji, who was found dead under mysterious circumstances at his house in Poochakadu on April 14, 2023. The court denied bail to Ubais, aka T.M. Uwais, the prime accused in the case. However, bail was granted to Uwais' wife, K.H. Shamima, 32, the second accused, and P.M. Asneefa, 36, the third accused. Earlier, the fourth accused, Aysha, 40, had been granted bail. The High Court had previously dismissed the bail application of the seventh accused, Saifuddin Badusha, 37. Two other accused are abroad, and Red Corner Notices have been issued for their arrest. The case, which had initially stalled for nearly a year, gained momentum after being transferred to a special investigation team. According to investigators, the murder was part of a plot involving witchcraft.
