Dozen luxury cars of Nirav Modi, Mehul Choksi auctioned at Rs 3.29 crore: ED

Tribune News Service
New Delhi, April 26

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has claimed that auctions of a dozen luxury vehicles owned by fugitive Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam accused businessmen Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi have fetched Rs. 3.29 crore to the government exchequer.

While giving details of the auctions, the Enforcement Directorate in a statement said the cars were attached by the agency under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in the past and had in March obtained the permission from a special court in Mumbai for auctioning 13 vehicles owned by the Modi-Choksi as part of its investigation into money laundering cases relating to US$ 2 billion alleged bank loan fraud.

The agency informed that Metal Scrap Trade Corporation (MSTC) Ltd was assigned to carry out the e-auction exercise.

“There are 13 vehicles (11 belonging to Nirav Modi group and 2 belonging to Mehul Choksi group) put on e-auction through MSTC platform on April 25. Out of these 13 vehicles, twelve (10 of Nirav Modi group and 2 of Mehul Choksi group) were successfully bided for a total amount of Rs 3,28,94,293,” the ED said in the statement.

Last month the Income Tax (IT) Department too had auctioned several art works that were owned by alleged bank fraud accused Nirav Modi for Rs 59.37 crore.

The ED and the CBI are investigating Nirav Modi, his uncle Choksi and others for alleged money laundering and corruption to perpetrate the alleged scam in the Brady House branch of the PNB in Mumbai that was unearthed last year.

As per the information available with the agencies, Nirav Modi has been arrested in London recently and India is seeking his extradition, while Choksi is learnt to have been living in the Caribbean nation of Antigua and the officials said a similar legal action against him is also in progress.