Two other accused Hemant Bhatt, 71, and former PNB deputy manager Gokulnath Shetty, 66, have been in CBI custody for over five years since the scam came to light in January 2018.
PNB घोटाला: दो अन्य आरोपियों पर मोदी बंधुओं से अलग चलेगा केस
In view of the uncertainty over the extradition of fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi and his brother Neeshal Modi, a special court has allowed the CBI to separate their trial from that of two other accused in the multi-crore Punjab National Bank scam. While Nirav is facing extradition proceedings in Britain, Neeshal is a citizen of Belgium.
Two other accused in the same case, Hemant Bhatt, 71, and former PNB deputy manager Gokulnath Shetty, 66, have been in CBI custody for over five years since the scam came to light in January 2018.
In October, CBI special public prosecutor A. The limousine brought special CBI court judge S.M. A petition was filed before. Menjoge said that after completing the investigation, a charge sheet was filed against 25 people before the court on May 14, 2018 and later named 30 accused in its supplementary charge sheet.
However, as Modi brothers Nirav and Neeshal were unavailable during the investigation, the special court had issued non-bailable warrants of arrest against them after 10 days, which were not issued as the two wanted accused were abroad.
The petition said that although the process of extradition of Nirav is going on with uncertainty as to how long it will take, the immediate return of Neeshal is unlikely, as he is a citizen of Belgium, and the Modi brothers’ trial is separate from the other two. There has been a demand for separation.
Noting that “speedy trial is the right of any accused and they cannot remain in jail without trial,” Special Judge Menjoge allowed the CBI to try the Shetty and Bhatt duo separately.
The Modi brothers, their family members and bank officials, among others, are accused in the PNB fraud of over Rs 14,000 crore that hit the banking industry in January 2018.
Efforts by the CBI and other agencies to nab him proved futile as he fled the country just days before PNB admitted the scam. Later the Enforcement Directorate started investigation.
Nirav Modi, who was declared a fugitive economic offender in December 2019, also faces money-laundering charges and several of his properties were seized and some of them were sold to recover a small part of the huge dues to banks.
Follow Us on… 
