Singapore High Court Orders Freezing Of Nirav Modi Family’s Bank Account After A Request From Enforcement Directorate

The Singapore High Court has ordered a bank in Singapore to freeze an account with a balance of USD 6.122 million maintained by Pavilion Point Corporation, incorporated in the British Virgin Island, after a request from India’s Enforcement Directorate (ED).

The company is linked to relatives of willful defaulter and fugitive absconder Nirav Modi.

The ED’s request was based on the ground that deposits in the bank account were proceeds of money siphoned off by Nirav Modi from the Punjab National Bank (PNB).

The beneficiaries of the company are Nirav Modi’s brother-in-law Maiank Mehta and his sister Purvi Modi.

The development came days after a United Kingdom court extended Nirav Modi's remand until July 25.

In a related development recently, Swiss government authorities responded to India’s Enforcement Directorate’s request and froze four Swiss bank accounts of absconding diamantaire Nirav Modi and his sister Purvi. These bank accounts are reported to hold deposits totally worth Rs 283.16 crore.

Bank accounts of Nirav Modi, the absconding diamantaire who is now under arrest in this case in London, hold deposits worth USD 3,74,11,596 while bank accounts in the name of his sister Purvi Modi hold deposits worth GBP 27,38,136. The total amount being held in all four bank accounts would be around Rs 283.16 crore.

Incidentally, the Enforcement Directorate and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) are also investigating Nirav Modi, his diamantaire uncle Mehul Choksi as well as others for their alleged roles in money laundering as well as corruption.

It is alleged that they defrauded the Brady House branch of the Punjab National Bank in Mumbai to the tune of over Rs 13,000 crore.