Mumbai: There has been a big twist in the Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam case with a special court pardoning a fugitive businessman, Maiank Mehta, a brother-in-law of Nirav Modi, after he agreed to become an approver.

His plea was accepted by Special CBI Judge A.V. Gujarathi on September 22, saying that Mehta will be spared on the condition that he gives a full and complete disclosure of all that he knows about the case and the individuals involved. The order of the court which was issued on Friday reinstated his new position as an approver.

One of the accused in the multi-crore fraud is Mehta, a British national who has resided in Hong Kong almost 35 years. The Central Bureau of investigation (CBI) has accused him with provisions of the Indian Penal Code such as criminal conspiracy, cheating, and breach of trust, as well as, provisions of the prevention of corruption act.

Plea for Pardon

Mehta presented his case by making an argument that he had already received pardon in cases that were brought against him under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) which is associated with the same CBI probe. He further added that he had arrived in India by choice in September of 2021 to participate in the legal proceedings.

Represented by senior lawyer Amit Desai, Mehta alleged that he had always been cooperative to the prosecution as well as Government of India. He told the court that he was willing to provide a full and truthful explanation of all that he knew regarding the scam.

Public prosecutor, Arvind Aghav did not object to the request, considering Mehta had previously been pardoned in cases under PMLA. Having considered the applications made by both parties, the court granted him his plea as per the Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS).

Court’s Directions

The court ordered Mehta who is residing in a foreign country to appear in the court. It also asked the prosecution to do everything to get him back to India so he could actively participate in the proceedings going on.

The PNB Scam

The big scam in PNB, on Nirav Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi, is around 13000 crore. They are both charged with complicity in one of the largest banking scams in Indian history by unlawfully issuing Letters of Undertaking (LOUs) and Foreign Letters of Credit (FLCs) in violation of the law of PNB in its Brady House branch in Mumbai.

Although Nirav Modi is still in the UK jail in battle against extradition, Mehul Choksi is also fighting a similar case in a Belgian court. The CBI and Enforcement Directorate (ED) are continuing investigations on what has now become one of the most notorious financial scandals in India.

Source: The Indian Express

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