New FIR could be issued against Nirav Modi for holding multiple Indian passports

By

Isabelle Crossley

Published
Jun 18, 2018

A new First Information Report (FIR) could be issued against the jewellery tycoon Nirav Modi after investigations have found that he possessed at least six passports, two of which being active.

The most recent reports have placed Nirav Modi, the diamond jewellery tycoon accused of being part of a Rs 13,000 crore ($2 billion) fraud at the Punjab National Bank (PNB), in Belgium. As Modi’s Indian passport was revoked back in February as part of the investigation, questions arose as to how he was able to travel.

As reported by the Press Trust of India (PTI), agencies probing the alleged fraud have now found out that Modi was travelling on a second Indian passport which allowed him to move freely between the US, UK, and Belgium. Nirav Modi has been accused of having at least six Indian passports, two of which being active and four of which being inactive. It is illegal for a Indian citizen to have  multiple passports unless they meet highly specific criteria which Modi does not and so Modi may be met which new charges because of this offence.

 Modi had two active passports, one with his full name, revoked in February, and one with only his first name in. The second had a 40 month UK visa issued in it and it is believed that this visa allowed him to travel freely for the past few months. Modi’s second active Indian passport has now been revoked and, following an internal enquiry, he may be formally prosecuted for this offence on top of his other alleged offences.