New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate’s director and special director seem to be at odds over the transfer of the officer who is investigating the fraud case against fugitive billionaire Nirav Modi.
The transfer order released by special director Vineet Agarwal stated that the charge of all cases, except the coal block case, being supervised by joint director Satyabrata Kumar has been taken from him as his deputation to the investigation agency has ended.
The curious timing of the order added to the drama as Kumar is in London to assist in the extradition case against Nirav Modi.
But soon after the transfer order, the Enforcement Director chief SK Mishra said only the director, i.e. he, can give such an order. “Satyabrata is not transferred. He continues to hold the charge,” he said.
Kumar is currently representing the investigative agency in Westminster Magistrates Court in London where Nirav Modi and his legal team will make a second bail application in a short while from now.
A decision to move him out could impact Nirav Modi’s case as Kumar was the investigating officer in the case since the fraud was unearthed in February 2018.
Agarwal’s order taking the cases away from him cited that his five-year deputation period to the ED had expired.
Nirav Modi has moved his second bail application in the Westminster Magistrates Court on Friday as his 12-day police custody ended.
The 48-year-old diamond merchant was denied bail by District Judge Marie Mallon at his first hearing soon after his arrest by Scotland Yard officers from a central London bank branch as he tried to open a new bank account. He has been in custody at the HMP Wandsworth prison in south-west London since March 20.
At his first court appearance after his arrest last week, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), arguing on behalf of Indian authorities, told the court that Modi is wanted for alleged "high value and sophisticated" fraud and money laundering amounting to $2 billion.
Comments
0 comment