Nirav Modi, involved in money laundering case for allegedly defrauding the PNB (India’s second-largest state-run bank) to the tune of over $2 billion, fled to the United Kingdom where he had claimed political asylum, according to reports.
Britain’s Home Office said it does not provide information on individual cases.
“There are always a number of complicated cases that add a little tension and spice to our relationship with India,” said a senior UK Foreign Office official.
“But there is also an appreciation from both sides that we have a legal process that has to be gone through and that we are of course governed by human rights legislation,” he added.
External Affairs Ministry reportedly said that the government is waiting for the law enforcement agencies to approach them before pushing for an extradition, which had thus far not happened.
In May, a case was filed against Modi and his uncle Choksi for cheating the bank and other 23 people engaged in the fraud, including former PNB chief Usha Ananthasubramanian, two of the bank’s executive directors and three companies belonging to Nirav Modi.
However, Modi and Choksi have denied any wrongdoing in the same.
