The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) made its first high-profile arrest in the Rs 11,400 crore alleged Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam on Tuesday, taking into custody Vipul Ambani
Live updates: Nirav Modi, the alleged kingpin of the Rs 11,400 crore Punjab National Bank scam, is not absconding but is out on business, the diamond merchant's lawyer has told the media.
Meanwhile, the CBI has arrested a General Manager-rank officer of the Punjab National Bank posted at the bank's head office in New Delhi in connection with the alleged Rs 11,400 crore fraud involving billionaire jewellers Nirav Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi, officials said.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) made its first high-profile arrest in the Rs 11,400 crore alleged Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam on Tuesday, taking into custody Vipul Ambani, the head of finance of Nirav Modi's Firestar Diamond, officials said.
The CBI officials had on Tuesday questioned 10 PNB officials, including an executive director and 18 employees of Nirav Modi and Gitanjali group of firms, in Rs 11,300 crore bank fraud case.
Vipul Ambani, who was being questioned since Sunday, was arrested after the agency found him "non-cooperative" in taking forward the investigation, officials said.
Ambani was arrested with four other senior executives of Modi's and his uncle Mehul Choksi's companies in connection with the two FIRs registered by the CBI.
A CBI team also conducted raids at diamantaire Nirav Modi's Alibaug farmhouse near Mumbai which has a palatial bungalow, an official said.
The CBI also questioned 10 employees of Gitanjali group of firms — Gitanjali Gems Ltd, Gili India Ltd and Nakshatra Brands Ltd. Gitanjali group of companies and its India-based 18 subsidiaries are headed by Mehul Choksi who is accused along with his nephew Nirav Modi in the multi-crore PNB fraud.
"Most of the PNB and Nirav Modi company's employees were also questioned for over eight hours on Monday," the CBI official said.
The central probe agency also said to have seized some significant documents from the Navi Mumbai, Andheri and Dombivli residences of three PNB officials who were arrested on Monday.
The CBI had raided these places on Monday night after the arrest of Brady house branch's Chief Manager Bechu B. Tewari and two of his colleagues Yashwant Joshi, Scale II Manager (Forex department) and Praful Sawant, Scale I officer (Export) after their day long questioning.
With inputs from agencies